Battle of Harrah

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Battle of Harrah
A historic account of the invasion and horrific plunder of the Holy City of Medina by the
army of Yazid b. Mu'awiyah
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An analytical look at the historic account of the invasion and horrific plunder of the holy city
of Medina in the year 63 AH by the army of Yazid b. Mu'awiyah.
Author(s):
Muhammad Ali Chenarani [3]
Translator(s):
Ahmad Rezwani [4]
Publisher(s):
Islamic Research Foundation Astan Quds Razavi [5]
Category:
Imam al-Husayn and Karbala [6]
Topic Tags:
Battle of Harrah [7]

ghazwah [8]
Yazid bin Mu'awiyah [9]
Karbala [10]
64 AH [11]
Muhammad Ali Chenarani [12]
Abdullah bin Zubayr [13]
Old url:
http://www.al-islam.org/battle_of_harrah/
Person Tags:
Yazid bin Mu'awiyah [14]
Preface
History is a mirror that reflects the past events and happenings to the inquisitive eyes of
the researchers who, years and centuries later, anxiously and eagerly try to scrutinize the
past generations in order to recognize among them the forgotten figures, their roles, and
their decisive historical impact. It teaches lessons of benevolence, honesty, and
righteousness from the good among them and creates a strong dislike for the evil ones so
that their footsteps are not followed.
Nevertheless, the mirror of history is not as transparent and exhilarating as it should be;
for, instead of illustrating the birth of stars and the sunrise, it has crammed the long and
tortuous memory of ages and epochs with bitter recollections, sad views of sunset and
horrendous scenes of darkness!
Then, are the historians to be blamed to have witnessed most of the sorrows, battles,
killings, wailings, and captivities, overlooking the beautiful blossoms and flowerings; or else,
since the historians aspired to record something attractive and unique, to witness a smile,
and to profile kind and relaxing moments of history and there were few of them to be
found, and such moments were overshadowed by the onslaught of brutalities and
oppressions!
In any case, we are now opening another page from the early history of Islam that has
perhaps remained hidden from the eyes of majority of Muslims across the world. However,
the magnitude of oppression and aggression committed against innocent human beings
and brutalities reported in the pages of history against the inhabitants of the holy city of
Medina still shakes human conscience, and mournfully bereaves souls and bitterly torments
fair-minded people.
The battle of Harrah, which should be rightfully called the tragedy of Harrah occurred just
64 years after the migration of the Holy Prophet (s) to Medina and 53 years after his sad
demise. It took place in Medina, a city that was named as the city of the Prophet (s) whose
people were from the generation of the men and women who fore mostly established the
foundations of amity, compassion, benevolence, honesty and great Islamic culture
throughout the violently hostile Arab lands, and with their self-sacrifice removed the pagan
Arab customs of murder, plunder, and transgression and promoted the divine culture of
knowledge and insight, and respect for human dignity.
However, within this short historical period of 64 years, especially after the sad demise of
the Prophet of God (s), the Muslim community witnessed certain adverse and unanticipated
events which eventually led the Umayyad rule over them. Banu Umayyah (the Umayyids)
that was the polytheist tribe, and among the most aggressive ones against the Prophet (s)
and the Muslims, took the reign of Caliphate and command of the Muslims' lives, property,
and honor just within 40 years of the demise of the Prophet (s).
Yesterday's rebels and polytheists now returned triumphantly and sat on the Prophet's (s)
pulpit and proclaimed to be the commanders of the faithful!

Those freed at the conquest of Mecca and those who enjoyed the Prophet's clemency and
compassion (known as 'tulaqa'), were resolute to take his Ummah as prisoners!
It was thus that after the battle of Harrah Those among the children and descendents of
Ansr (Helpers) and Muhjirin (Emigrants) who survived this tragedy had to formally admit
in front of the commander of the Shmi (Syrian) army that they were the slaves of Yazd
(the leader of the Umayyid) and that he is allowed to do with them whatever he wished to!
Achievements of this Research

This research does not intend to call the uprising of the inhabitants of Medina against the
oppressive Umayyid rule of Yazid as great socio-religious bravery, although it can neither
ignore the existence of religious, humanistic, and reformative motivations in that uprising.
However, it can definitely arrive at the conclusion that the trend of Islamic Caliphate
transformed into an anti-Islamic and anti-human trend in which Yazd's hereditary
monarchy represented the peak of this deviation.
The foundation of every government, its goals, its treatment of subjects and policies in
general and its performance in particular are the most self-evident indicators of its
rightfulness, legitimacy, and humanness, and the clearest evidences of its illegitimacy as
well.
Harrah tragedy is only second to the great tragedy of Karbal and the martyrdom of the
descendents of Prophet (s) at the hands of Yazd's army that was caused by the
incompetence and oppressive nature of the Umayyid rule. It evidently showed that if the
government of a Muslim society gives up the religious and human standards, how
disastrous it can be to the religion and the Muslim ummah.
We have attempted, in the following pages, to illustrate as much of the Harrah tragedy and
issues related to some of its important aspects that have been recorded in history's
memory, and to make a critical review and analyze them whenever necessary.
Among other achievements of this research that were not brought up in the main body of
the book are briefly listed as follows:
A. Although the tragedy of Karbal in 61 A.H. (680 C.E.) and the study of its different
ideological and socio-political aftermaths could by itself be a vivid testimony to the brutality
of Yazd's and Umayyid's monarchy and an indication of the social degradation under the
illegitimate political administrations of that era, the battle of Harrah that took place two or
three years after the event of Karbal showed that the latter, too, had not been a casual
event perpetrated by the Umayyid ruling system.
It showed that the essence of Umayyid monarchy demanded involvement in open
onslaughts of murder and pillage of the household of Prophet (s), forcing such great men as
Imam Husayn b. 'Al ('a), who refused to recognize their rule, to pay for his religiosity and
noble-spiritedness by his own blood and that of his loved ones.
The Harrah tragedy was in fact confirmatory evidence to the Umayyid's rebellious attitude
towards religion of Islam and its humanistic values.
B. In the process of the Madinans' revolt and among various figures who lost their lives,
were executed, fled from Medina, or had to swear allegiance to Yazd out of degradation
and humiliation and to call themselves his slaves, there were those who in the earlier years
of the formation of deviation in political leadership of the Islamic community refused to take
even the smallest steps in the reformation and correction of the deviated politico-religious
trends; and when they happened to do so and stand against such perversions, was also a
Christian.
Subsequently, those who from the outset merely surrendered to the anti-Islamic trends and
viewed religion as a means of power and polity, took up the rule, recruited a powerful and
equipped army of newly converted Muslims who were unfamiliar with the basic teachings of
the Islam, and by means of forged traditions of the Prophet (s) and ostensibly religious
justifications persuaded them to slaughter and plunder the Muslims!
It is truly admonitory that such men as 'Abd Allh b. 'Umar who, according to the historical
reports regarded such high status and authenticity for themselves and were so cautious
and obsessive during the Caliphate of 'Al b. Ab Tlib ('a) that they would say, We should
be the last ones to swear allegiance to 'Al1! Whereas in order to prevent people from
opposition to Yazd and to encourage them to pledge allegiance to him, they proclaimed,
The one who dies without a pledge of allegiance to Yazd will die similar to the one who
dies in a state of ignorance.222
Yet, what is more admonitory is that these people who did not pledge allegiance to 'Al
('a)'s mighty hands, mind, and faith or when they did they did it hesitantly, hastened by
night to pledge allegiance to such persons as Hajjj b. Ysuf Thaqaf - the historically
notorious savage - not by shaking his hand as it was common but by vilely kissing his feet!
C. From whatever aspect that is considered, the tragedy of Karbal and the massacre and
plunder of Madinans are too massive and shameful; but what makes the resonance of those
tragedies more painful and agonizing is that the perpetrators of such cruelities have
introduced their inhuman actions as based on faith and religious foundations, to the extent
that the commanders of Yazd army in order to spur the troops to fight would shout at them
y khail Allh - O Army of Allah!3
Or, in the battle of Harrah, Muslim b. 'Uqba - the commander of Syrian army - wishes that
before dying he would be able to suppress the revolt of Medina and to terminate Yazd's
opponents in order to have enough spiritual provision in his book of deeds when meeting
Allah on the day of Resurrection!
No doubt, such slogans, statements and tactics are more of a devilish and political nature
than being rooted in ignorance and misunderstanding of religion. Unfortunately these
policies and practices rapidly influenced the hearts and minds of the newly converted nave
Muslims and the weak in faith and knowledge of Islamic teachings at that time.
It is for these reasons that the true scholars and the guardians of ideological boundaries of
religion have always been concerned with such misapplications and misunderstanding of
religion by the begrudged and spiteful and the feebleminded. In addition, whenever
possible, they have tried to represent the humane and rational essence of religion so that
no counter human and imprudent movement might be able to disguise its deviated and
detrimental face under superficially religious slogans and banners.
Hoping that report of this crucial period of early Islamic history may be a step towards
further appreciation of the real nature of the Umayyid's Rule and its background, brutal
policies and devilish tactics, its distortion of the Islamic teachings and the grievous
aftermaths. It may provide lessons from this painful incident for distinguishing truth from
falsehood and also serve as admonitions for avoiding wrong, inhumane, and anti-religious
ways and as motivation for moving toward justice, fairness, and righteousness.
Ahmad Turb
April 2008
1. Ibn Ab al-Hadd, Sharh-i Nahj al-Balgha, vol. 4, p.11.
2. Dhahab, Siyar Alm al-Nubal, vol. 3, p. 325.
3. Al-Mufd, Al-Irshd, vol. 2, p. 92.
Introduction
The battle of Harrah was a bitterly disastrous and painful event that took place in 63 A.H.
(682 C.E.) during the reign of Yazd b. Mu'wiyah between the Syrian troops and the people
of Medina.
In Arabic lexicon, Harrah means a rocky and rough terrain that is difficult to pass.14
This event has been named as such because the invasion of the state army of Shm (Syria)
took place from the east of Medina, i.e., from the rocky region of the city.2
It has also been called The Battle of Harrahtu Wqim in some historical sources since the
rocky terrains around Medina have been extensive and protracted, covering various
sections of its surrounding among which only the rocky terrains of the east side have been
called Harrahtu Wqim.3
The historians have recorded the distance between Harrahtu Wqim and Masjid al-Nab as
to be one ml.47
1. Ibn Manzr, Lisn al-Arab; Zubayd, Tj al-Ars, Ibn Abd al-Haq Baghdd, Marsid alIttil, under Harar.
2. Ibn Qutayba, Uyn al-Akhbr, vol. 1, p. 238; Al-Marif, p. 240; Ibn Kathr, Al-Nahya,
vol. 1, p. 365; Ibn Athr, Jmi al-Usl, vol. 10, p. 480.
3. Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 124; Ibn Khallikn, Wafayt al-Ayn, vol. 6, p. 276.
4. According to astronomers one ml has been calculated as three thousand dhir (cubit =
~ 50 cm) and according to traditionists as four thousand dhir which is equal to 2 km.
A Great Disaster
The battle of Harrah that is rightly called to be one the great catastrophies of history and
rated as one of the most cruel events perpetrated by the Umayyids has been so frustrating
and unbearable that some historians have tried to alleviate the lasting painful memories of
the Umayyid's reign by mentioning its marginal aspects and covering up the inhumane
dimensions of this event.

However, this human catastrophe has been so extensive in its emotional and ethical
dimensions that it has pained the hearts of the fair-minded and justice loving and prompted
the unprejudiced pens to bitterly lament and complain.
Ab 'Al Miskawayh puts it as follows:
The battle of Harrah is one of the most formidable and harshest events.18
Another historian wrote:
The battle of Harrah has had a terrifying impact on the Muslim world; it sounded as if the
Umayyids had decided to pay off their debt to faith!
When the Prophet (s) forgave them upon the Conquest of Mecca and treated them with
compassion, in response to this magnanimity of the Prophet (s), the Umayyids massacred
the best of Medinan young men.2
The battle of Harrah was one of the outcomes of Umayyid's reign, especially the imposed
monarchy of Mu'wiyah b. Ab Sufyn's heir apparent which according to a hadth, the Holy
Prophet (s) expressed strong dislike in and called it the government of children: O Allah,
would it be that I would not witness the year 60 A.H. and the rule of the children!310
The year 60 A.H. (679 C.E.) was the year when caliphate was formally and openly
recognized as royal hereditary monarchy and Yazd, the son of Mu'wiyah, a hedonist and
characterless young man, rose to the throne by the contrivance of his father. In his four
years of rulership, i.e., from 60 A.H. to 64 A.H. (683 C.E.), Yazd perpetrated numerous
tragedies, the most formidable of which was the Taff (Karbal) event - martyrdom of
Husayn b. 'Al ('a) - then, the battle of Harrah in which the sanctity of the mosque of
Prophet (s) in Medina was violated and after that his invasion of Mecca and desecrating the
House of God (Holy Ka'aba).
In the holy month of Muharram of the year 61 A.H. (680 C.E.), Yazd martyred the members
of the household of the Holy Prophet (s) in Karbal in the cruelest and the most tyrannical
way possible and enslaved his household. In Dh'l Hajja 63 A.H. (August 683 C.E.), he
masterminded the second grand tragedy of his rulership by allowing the Syrian army to
transgress over the lives and properties of the people of Medina and the female members
of their families.
1. Ibn Miskawayh, Tajrib al-Umam, vol. 2, p. 79.
2. Quraysh, Hayt al-Imm Msa b. Jafar, vol. 1, p. 291, as quoted in Amr Al, Mukhtasar
Tarkh al-Arab, p. 75.
3. Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 124
Causes of the Revolt

The revolt of the people of Medina in 63 A.H. (683 C.E.) against the monarchy of Yazd, and
the rule of the Umayyids, represented, among other things, people's widespread dislike and
hatred against the state's politics and plans.
There seems to be no evidence in historical records and documents indicating that this
social uprising was ascribed to any particular intellectual or political faction or leadership;
rather, the communal and tribal diversity of the participants in this popular movement
suggests that various social, religious, political, and emotional factors have prompted
harmonious sentiments among the people of Medina that culminated in a widespread
uprising, and cutting off the hands of Yazd's agents and administrators from that city.
Obviously, upon empathy and solidarity in rejecting the Umayyid rule and in order to
coordinate its defensive force, this spontaneous social uprising chose a commander in
chief. According to the historical reports, the Ansr had selected 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala1 and
the Quraysh had chosen 'Abd Allh b. Mut'2 as their military commanders.313
Therefore, if in 'Ashr (Karbala) tragedy and Imm Husayn ('a)'s movement, the goals,
plans, and motives were above all centered in a perfectly recognized leader, i.e., Imam
Husayn b. 'Al ('a) with his holiness being considered as the pivot of the movement, in the
battle of Harrah and the social movement of Madinans, religious, political, historical, and
emotional grounds must be sought on which the movement, without enjoying an
outstanding leadership, had been able to bring the scattered tribes and various clans
settled in Medina to a similar conclusion and integrate their power and capabilities toward
rising up against Yazd and his agents.
Evidently, it would be impossible for the history researchers to have access to all those
causes and grounds, with such long interval and scarcity of historical documents. However,
a considerable portion of these causes can be recognised on the basis of what has been
recorded or stated.
Sentiments and Religious Zeal

In Islamic culture, two cities have been recognized as the early bases where the religious
thought of the Last of the Prophets (s) began to propagate; Mecca, as the land of the
Prophetic Mission and the Qibla to the Muslims; and Medina, as the city of the Prophet (s)
and the land of expansion and export of the Revealed Message.
Mecca, as a Divine Sanctuary, overrates Medina, but the latter is significant in that the
development of religious knowledge, exposition of the Prophetic traditions, and the
understanding and interpretation of the Revealed Word of Allah, all took place in that city.
The companions of the Prophet (s) - both Muhjirin and Ansr - lived there and most of
them preferred staying in that city over other cities after the demise of the Prophet (s).
Thus, it is evident that Madinans' proximity to the Prophet's legacy and traditions and his
companions and successors had made their inclination toward Islam to be stronger than
that of the Syrians and thus leading them to more quickly observe inappropriateness of the
policies and actions adopted by the rulers and governors. Hence, they were more openly
motivated to fight against the political and moral corruptions and perversions in the ruling
body of Islam. Furthermore, it was these people who expressed their early political dissatisfaction and protested to Uthmn b. 'Affn and reprimanded him for the discriminations
and incompetence of his administrators and went so far as to put an end to his life!
Now, the same people were witnessing the ruling of a crude young man who neither knows
anything about politics and civility nor is familiar with the religious sanctities of Islam and
its laws, nor even tries to hide his moral corruptions from the people.
When the people of Medina ran out of patience due to the Yazd's countless tyrannies and
bloodsheds and his openly blatant transgression of the Islamic laws, they began to air their
protest against the Syrian government. 'Uthmn b. Muhammad b. Ab Sufyn - the
governor of Medina - pretended to show his competence by trying to make the dignitaries
of Medina pleased with himself, the rule, and Yazd and to calm down his own jurisdiction.
He sent some of the youths of Ansr and Muhjirin to Damascus so that they could meet
with young ruler Yazd in person and discuss their complaints with him; perhaps he would
be able to give them convincing answers and avail them with his gifts and bounties.414
In this meeting, Yazd not only was unable to attract the attention of the emissaries of
Medina and redress their grievances, rather on the other hand, he further proved their
previous beliefs and impressions of his incompetence by showing frivolous and foolish
behavior.515
There is difference of opinion in historical sources as to the number of the emissaries
dispatched from Medina to Syria in 62 A.H. (682 C.E.). Some have recorded their number to
be ten6, others have reported more.7 Historians have recorded this meeting as follows:
'Abd Allh b. Hanzala Ghasl al-Mal'ika, 'Abd Allh b. Ab 'Amr b. Mughayra Makhzm,
Mundhir b. Zubayr and a group of the noblemen of Medina accompanied them.8
When the emissaries came to visit Yazd, he paid homage to them by giving them generous
gifts.
He even gave a hundred thousand dirhams to one of them, 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala b. Ab
'mir, who had come along with eight of his children, and gave some gifts to others, too.9
Despite all this, his mean behavior was not hidden from the guests.
These guests scrutinized all the conducts and life style of Yazd for which they had originally
traveled to Syria.1020
When they returned to Medina, they narrated to the people what they had seen of Yazd.
They were soon shouting in the Prophet's (s) mosque: We are coming back from someone
who is faithless, drinks wine, plays lute, spends nights with mean people and singing maids,
and abandons prayers.1121
People asked 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala: What news have you brought? He said: I am coming
back from a man with whom I would have fought, I swear by Allah, if my children were not
with me. People said: We heard that Yazd has given you money and other gifts. 'Abd
Allh said: That is true. I accepted it only for preparing forces against him. This way 'Abd
Allh went on to instigate people against Yazd and they followed him.12
Ab al-Fid', one of the historians, puts it this way:
What fuelled the battle of Harrah was that a group of people went to Damascus to visit
Yazd b. Mu'wiyah. Yazd honored them, gave them gifts, and granted about a hundred
thousand dirhams to 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala b. Ab 'mir, a dignitary from Medina. When the
group returned to Medina, they talked to the people about what they had seen of Yazd drinking wine, vices, and other sins and injustices and immoralities, the greatest of which
were abandoning prayers due to being drunk.13
Tabar puts it in this way:
Upon returning to Medina, the group reproached Yazd among themselves, cursed him,
and said: We come back from someone who does not have faith, drinks wine, plays lute and
the maids sing for him; he plays with dogs and keeps company with the mean people and
the slaves. Bear witness that we vow to dethrone him.14

The author of Ta'rkh-i Fakhr wrote:
People were disturbed by the Umayyids, especially by Yazd for committing many
forbidden and sinful acts and being notorious for vices and iniquities.1525
The cause of Medinans' revolt against Yazd was his weakness of faith.1626
Ibn Khaldun has opined as follows:
About Imam Husayn ('a) and the battle that took place, it ought to be said that since the
vices and crimes committed by Yazd were known to general public of his era, the followers
and the Sh'as of the Prophet's (s) household in Kufa dispatched a delegation to Imam
Husayn ('a) to invite him to Kufa in order to revolt under his command. The Imam ('a)
realized that standing up against Yazd was a duty, for the latter was openly committing
injustices and immoral acts, and that this uprising was a duty for those who were able to
revolt.
Mas'd has put it this way:
When tyrannies of Yazd and his functionaries began to mount up, his debaucheries
became disgracefully manifest; he killed grandson of the Prophet (s) and his companions;
went on drinking sprees; and took on Pharaoh-like manners, even worse than Pharaoh in his
injustice to the high and low. Thereof, it so happened that the people of Medina expelled his
governor, Uthmn b. Muhammad b. Ab Sufyn, together with Marwn b. Hakam and other
members of Umayyid clan.17
In addition to observing Yazd's moral corruption, the representatives of the Medinans
witnessed at close quarter that someone by the name of Serjohn was working in Yazd's
court as his Roman counselor and that Mansr b. Serjohn - or Sergius - from a renowned
Christian clan had been Yazd's close companion from days of his youth.
Ibn Uthl18, Yazd's personal physician was also a Christian in charge of the financial affairs
of the province of Hims.1929
Akhtal20, the Umayyid court's poet, was also one of the Arab Christians who frequently
visited the Caliph's palace with a cross hung around his neck, would read his poems to the
Caliph, and was highly praised and rewarded by him.2131
Background knowledge of these unusual affairs stank of deep conspiracy and when
combined with Umayyid's unIslamic and inhumane rule, would make any Muslim's zealous
blood boil and incite severe reactions against the Umayyid monarchy.
The Tragedy of Karbal and the Martyrdom of Imam

Husayn b. Al (a)
As someone who had been able to acquire for himself the garment of the Caliphate and
monarchy over the Muslim lands, Mu'wiyah had quite learned that in the Muslim
community, particularly among the Sahba (companions), Tbi'n (their successors),
Muhjirin, and Ansr, the issue of Ahl al-Bayt ('a) enjoys a special status that could not be
easily violated.
On the other hand, more than anybody else, he had tried 'Al b. Ab Tlib ('a) and his
progeny's robustness and perseverance in respect to religious values and human principles,
and found out that confronting this household would cost too high for the Umayyids to
afford. Therefore, he had given necessary instructions to his crown prince as to avoid
confronting the household of the Prophet (s).

However, Yazd was not such a person to comprehend the meaning of politics and realize
his father's bitterly tasted state policies and experiences; rather, he saw himself as the heir
to the power that he himself had no role in acquiring, and like a traditional prince he spent
his carefree adolescence and early youth on the Muslims' public treasury without any care
for their plight and sufferings and now was ruling over the ummah of Islam whose men, in
his own thinking, were his freed slaves and their women, his handmaidens who will submit
themselves to him whenever he wished!
This fanciful thinking, inflated by flatteries, once again set the descendents of Ban Hshim
against those of Umayyid and prompted the sons of Ab Sufyn to fight another battle with
the household of the Prophet (s), creating a tragedy in Karbal which was the greatest of all
the battles between truth and falsehood in entire human history.
Yazd wanted to take the revenge of all those killed in the battle of Badr and all the
polytheists and unbelievers of history from the household of the Prophet (s) in half a day's
time and he truly did so!
Like all the Cains of history, he did not realize the gravity and expanse of that horrendous
tragedy the moment he was perpetrating it. However, it did not last long, that, before a half
day's time with the short speech by Zaynab al-Kubr, the daughter of 'Al ('a), he
dismounted his throne of triumph and power and proceeded to apologize; but it was too
late, as the blood of the Prophet's (s) household was already shed and would not be washed
out by any means. In this tragedy, the decapitated heads of the descendents of 'Al ('a)
turned to unsetting stars that directed people toward the way to deliverance in the dark
night of the Umayyid rule; and the people of Medina were the most deserving to find out
these telling clues and to show proper reactions in the face of the unjustly shed blood of the
Prophet's descendents.
It was also because Imam Husayn b. 'Al ('a) and his companions and family members had
come from their homeland and Imam Ali b. al-Husayn (Zayn al-'Abidn) ('a), the son of Imam
Husayn ('a), had brought them the message of their martyrdom. Those who failed to
accompany and help the Prophet's grandson were now ashamed of their past and
considered compensating that great damage!
Even if the newly converted Muslims of Syria had not yet considered the ayah Say, 'I do
not ask of you any reward except the affection for my relatives'22 while reciting the
Qur'an, and could not distinguish between the descendants of Ab Sufyn and the
household of the Prophet (s). The people of Medina had frequently heard from the Prophet
(s) that: Al-Hasan and al-Husayn sayyid shabb ahl al-janna (Hasan and Husayn are
the two leaders of the youth of paradise).23 Thus, such deep injuries to the souls, faith,
and sentiments of the Medinans would inevitably end up in an overall uprising and bloody
confrontation.
Dhahab wrote:
When the tyrannies of Yazd and his functionaries became widespread, he killed the
Messenger of Allah's (s) grandson and his companions, and the people revolted.2434
Tabar wrote:
When Imam Husayn ('a) was martyred, Ibn. Zubayr talked to the people; he regarded the
Imam's martyrdom as important, reproached the people of Iraq, and said: The people of
Iraq are criminal and evildoers; they invited Husayn ('a) to Iraq but as soon as he arrived,
they attacked him and demanded him to either surrender to the son of Sumayya (Ibn
Ziyd) or fight. Husayn ('a) knew that his companions were few in number but preferred
dignified death to a degraded life. May God bless Husayn ('a) and debase his killer.2535
One of the writers of Arab history wrote in an analysis on the tragedy of Karbal that
Husayn b. 'Al's blood was more than anything else effective in the development of Sh'
thought to the extent that Sh'sm may be said to be reborn on the tenth of Muharram. As
the later events revealed, this issue was among the factors that undermined the
foundations of the Umayyid's government.26
Description of the Karbal Tragedy by the Ahl al-Bayt

(a)
It is likely that if the Karbal tragedy did not have narrators like Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a)
and Zaynab al-Kubr (the daughter of Imam 'Ali ('a)) and the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) had not taken
measures for preserving and safeguarding it, the Umayyid ruling system could have easily
distorted the event for the uninformed masses and offered justification to cover up their
crimes. But what prevented the distortion of event of 'shra and its justification by the
ruling Umayyid's government were the very influential and at the same time subtle ways of
propagation adopted by the surviving messengers of Karbal, that would burn the hearts
and infuriate the spirits of the Muslim masses.
It was not a proper time for Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) to start an open campaign against the
Umayyids to inform the public of their true face; and the historical experience indicated
that the people of Medina, despite their good past records in assisting the Prophet (s) and
defending the religion, never had the required vigilance and solidarity to support the
household of the Prophet (s). That was possibly because yesterday's Ansr and Muhjirin
(i.e., Helpers and Emigrants) who were regarded as simple and untainted Muslims, after the
demise of the Messenger of Allah (s) and with the city of Medina turning into the Islamic
capital, the seat of the Caliphate of the Muslims, and the centre of distribution of social and
political positions, had over the years, acquired some status and reputation so as to view
themselves as companions and narrators of hadth as opposed to the household of the
Prophet (s).
Nevertheless, Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) would constantly whisper his messages in between
his supplications and intimate conversations (munajat) with Allah, driving them deep down
into one's soul; whenever he saw drinking water, he would passionately remember the
moments of the martyrdom of martyrs of Karbal with their parched lips. Thus, words,
expressions and gestures of the Imam ('a), who in spite of being subjected to the harshness
and cruelty of the age, was still known as the most distinguished religious figure of his time,
were communicated from heart to heart to the farthest areas of city of Medina via
gatherings.
Historians have described the early hours of arrival of the survivors of Karbal Caravan at
the gates of Medina as follows:
When Bashr b. Jazlam declared the news of Imam Husayn's ('a) martyrdom and the return
of the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) to the people of Medina, it sounded as if it was the Trumpet's Blast
that turned Medina to a scene like the morning of Resurrection. Women of Medina rushed
out of their houses and took to the gate of Medina, so that no man or woman remained
home except that all were running bare-footed and raising the cries of W Muhammad!
W Husayna!(Alas O Muhammad, Alas O Husayn!), just like the day when the Holy Prophet
(s) departed from the world. No day ever passed by for the Muslims more bitter and no
cries of mourning and lamentation more severe than that day.27
After the people left town and went to Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) and others who were
returning with them, the Imam delivered a very moving sermon. Some people, such as
Sawhn b. Sa'sa'a, apologized for not assisting Imam Husayn ('a) and Imam Zayn al-'Abidn
('a) accepted their apologies.28
Imam Zayn al-'Abidn's ('a) words left deep impact on the people of Medina and made them
feel that they had neglected to defend the sanctity of the Messenger of Allah (s)!
Ab Mikhnaf wrote:
It was Friday that the caravan of the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) arrived near Medina. Imam Zayn al'Abidn ('a) sent Bashir b. Jazlam towards Medina to inform the people. He entered Medina
and informed the people of the arrival of Ahl al-Bayt ('a) by his poem. With this news, even
the women who were behind the veils came out of their houses, wearing black garments
and weeping with cries. I saw no man or woman except that they were weeping, lamenting
and reprimanding; all the Hashemite and non-Hashemite women were weeping.
On Friday, the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) arrived in Medina and the Friday preacher was delivering his
sermon, mentioning what had befallen Husayn ('a) and his companions and adding even
further to the lamentations and sorrows of people so that some were weeping and some
moaning. That day all the people of Medina went toward Ahl al-Bayt ('a) just like the day
when the Prophet (s) had departed from this world. The poets among them were reciting
their poems and elegies, and the people of Medina held public mourning and sorrowful
gatherings for fifteen days for Imam Husayn ('a) and the martyrs of Karbala.
On the other hand, Zaynab al-Kubr (sa) and the mothers of the martyrs of Karbal, each
one of them created their own impressive gathering in the widely span social milieu of
Medina by individually narrating their experiences of events of the 'shr tragedy and
what they had seen on the way to Kfa and Syria and in Yazd's court.
Following are the words of Hadrat Zaynab (sa), the daughter of 'Al ('a), addressed in the
early hours of her arrival in Medina to a mass gathering of mourning women who had
encircled and accompanied her into the city. She took advantage of the poetry to penetrate
deep into the hearts and minds of her listeners, as she knew very well that the Arab
women's memory would readily preserve them and recite them like their soothing
cradlesongs to their babies. Those lines are rendered as follows:
What answer will you give when the Prophet asks you:
What did you do as my last Ummah after my demise
To my progeny and my household?
Some have been taken captives and some were immersed in their blood!
Is it my reward for guiding and leading you to the Way of God?
That you oppress my household to such an extent?2939
Political Unrests and Fallacies

Among other factors that played an important role in Medinan's revolt against the Umayyid
government were the morally corrupt actions and politically awkward decision-makings that
were witnessed by the Muslim community, especially by the people of Medina, that began
with the Caliphate of Uthmn b. 'Affn (who was from Umayyid clan), and reached their
extremes during the reign of Yazd b. Mu'wiyah.
The previous Caliphs usually had at their disposal some consultants from among the
companions and the erudite for administering the Muslim community. Yazd, however, had
gathered around him some of his jokers and drunkard cronies, who were of his age, as
consultants and administrators. This action was obviously intolerable to those who were
foremost on the path of faith at that time and to the Ansr and Muhjirin and their
descendents.
The nearest in mindset to Yazd for the people of Medina was likely to be the governor of
Medina about whom Tabar wrote:
'Uthmn b. Muhammad b. Ab Sufyn, who was appointed as the governor of Medina after
Wald, was regarded as an inexperienced teenager.30
Before 'Uthmn b. Muhammad b. Ab Sufyn, another person known as Wald b. 'Uqba had
been appointed by Yazd as the governor of Hijz who was strongly criticized by people and
about whom Ibn. Zubayr sent the following letter to Yazd:
You have sent over us a rough and harsh man who does not care at all about justice and
truthfulness and pays no attention to the well-wishers and the wise; whereas if you had
sent a mild-mannered person, we hoped that he would make the hard and complicated
tasks much easier.314141
It was after such remarks and complains that Yazd discharged Wald b. 'Uqba from office
and appointed 'Uthmn b. Muhammad b. Ab Sufyn, who was an arrogant, inexperienced,
and heedless youth, as the governor of Hijz32, and the tragedy of Harrah took place while
he was the governor of Medina.33
Surprisingly enough, 'Uthmn b. Muhammad b. Ab Sufyn was simultaneously shouldering
two heavy posts, i.e., the governorship of Medina and Mecca which Yazd had entrusted to
this raw and inexperienced youth!34
All these factors were in fact creating impulses and subtle reactions that were adding
together and awaiting a proper moment to burst out like an explosion. That moment came
up when Ibn Mn, the fully authorized representative of Mu'wiyah (and who continued
working in that position in Yazid's reign), for collecting taxes and properties in Medina, tried
to deliver the collected possessions out of Harrah to the governor of Hijz. It was at this
point that the Medinan protesters blocked his way and told him: This much property that
you are taking out of Medina does not belong to you and Mu'wiyah; we confiscate this
property.3545
Ibn Mn reported the confiscation to 'Uthmn b. Muhammad b. Ab Sufyn who was then
the ruler of Mecca and Medina.
'Uthmn summoned some representatives from Medina for negotiations. A number of Ansr
and Quraysh met 'Uthmn and stated that the property belonged to the people of Medina
and that Mu'wiyah had purchased our property at a low price during the time of our
poverty and economic pressure and he had not paid our due rights during his reign.
The dispute dragged on to the extent that the governor of Medina threatened the
representatives and said: This action of yours is rooted in internal grudges and there is no
end to it. I will report the issue to Yazd himself.36
The governor of Medina reported the story in a letter to Syria and instigated Yazd against
the people of Medina. Furious to hear this, Yazd said:

I swear to God that I will dispatch a massive army over them and trample them under the
horses' hooves37
1. Yaqb, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 251; Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 69; Ibn Athr, AlKmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 115.
2. Ibn Sad, al-Tabaqt al-Kubr, vol. 5, p. 109; Ibn Athr, Usd al-Ghba, vol. 3, p. 393.
3. Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 374; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 115.
4. Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 368; Ibn Abd Rabbih, al-Iqd al-Fard, vol. 5, p. 136; Ab alFaraj al-Isfahn, Al-Aghn, vol. 1, p. 23.
5. Ibn Atham Kf, Al-Futh, vol. 5, p. 179; Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 368; Nuwayr, Nahyat
al-Irab, vol. 6, p. 217.
6. Khwand Mr, Habb al-Siyar, vol. 2, p. 127.
7. Nuwayr, Nahyat al-Irab, vol. 6, p. 217.
8. Ibid, vol. 6, p. 217; Ibn Abd Rabbih, al-Iqd al-Fard, vol. 5, p. 136.
9. Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 368; Ibn Abd Rabbih, al-Iqd al-Fard, vol. 5, p. 136; Nuwayr,
Nahyat al-Irab, vol. 6, p. 217; Ibn Kathr, Isml, Al-Bidya wa al-Nihya, vol. 6, p. 233.
10. For further information about Yazd's debaucheries see: Philip Hitti, Tarkh al-Duwal alIslmiyya, p. 113; Ibn Taghr Bird, Al-Nujm al-Zhira, vol. 1, p. 163; Suyt, Tarkh alKhulaf, p. 209; Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 48; Jhz, Al-Tj f Akhlq al-Mulk, p. 258;
Qumm, Safna al-Bihr, vol. 1, p. 583; Qumm, Tatimma al-Muntah, p. 36.
Nahyat al-Irab, vol. 5, p. 136; Ibn Kathr, Isml, Al-Bidya wa al-Nihya, vol. 6, p. 233.
Nahyat al-Irab, vol. 6, p. 217;
13. Ibn Kathr, Isml, Al-Bidya wa al-Nihya, vol. 6, p. 233.
14. Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 368.
15. Ibn Tiqtaq, F al-db al-Sultniyya wa al-Duwal al-Islmiyya, known as Tarkh-i
Fakhr, p. 116.
16. Suyt, Tarkh al-Khulaf, p. 166.
17. Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 68.
18. Ibn Uthl, a Christian physician, was a contemporary to Muwiyah b. Ab Sufyn. Ibn
Ab Usaybia says: He was sufficiently insightful in the properties of spices, particularly
poisons, from whom Muwiya would ask for assistance for poisoning the Islamic
dignitaries. According to Wqid: Imam Hasan (a), Mlik Ashtar, and Abd al-Rahmn b.
Khlid b. Wald who opposed the crown-princeship of Yazd, were poisoned by his
(Muwiya's) order. Eventually, Khlid b. Muhjir, Abd al-Rahmn's nephew went to Syria
to take revenge for his uncle's blood and killed Ibn Uthl (Dehkhoda Dictionary vol. 2, p.
,290 under the entry .( Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. ,1 p. 144-146; Ibn Ab
Usaybia, Uyn al-Abn f Tabqt al-Atibb, p. 171. Ibn Askir, Tarkh-i Damishq, vol. 5,
p. 80; Ab al-Faraj al-Isfahn, Aghn, vol. 5, p. 12; Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 82; Ibn Athr,
Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 3, p. 378.
19. Ibn Askir, Tarkh Damishq, vol. 5, p. 80; Hadram, Muwiya wa Tarkh, p. 111.
20. Akhtal, whose full name is Ghiyth b. Ghawth b. al-Salt b. Triqat b. Amr of the Ban
Taqlib tribe, nicknamed as Ab Mlik, was an eminent poet who gained his famous during
Umayyid reign in Syria and most of whose eulogy poems are about the Umayyid Caliphs.
He went to the Umayyid and became their poet. He was born in 19 A.H. (640 C.E.) and
died in 90 A.H. (708 C.E.), and grown up among the Christians around Hra. (Zirkil, AlAlm, vol. 5, p. 318; Ab al-Faraj al-Isfahn, Al-Aghn, vol. 8, p. 280; Ibn Qutayba, AlShir wa al-Shuar, p. 189; Baghdd, Khaznat al-Adab, vol. 1, p. 219 & 221).
21. Philip Hitti, Tarkh al-Arab, vol. 1, p. 254 (Trans. Ab al-Ghsim Pyandeh).
22. Al-Qur'an, 42: 23.

23. Khatb Baghdd, Tarkh Baghdd, vol. 11, p. 91, and vol. 2, p. 181; Dhahab, Tarkh
al-Islm, vol. 3, p. 5.
24. Dhahab, Tarkh al-Islm, vol. 3, p. 5.
26. Amr Al, Mukhtasar Tarkh al-Arab, vol. 1, p. 247.
27. Ibn Tws, Al-Lahuf, p. 130; Ab Mikhnaf, Maqtal p. 200; Muqarram, Maqtal al-Husayn,
p. 375.
28. Ts, Al-Aml, p. 66; Muqarram, Maqtal al-Husayn, p. 375; Majlis, Bihr al-Anwr, vol.
45, p. 147.
29. Ibn Qutayba, Uyn al-Akhbr, vol. 1, p. 212; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p.
36; Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 357; Brn, thr al-Bqiya, p. 329; Khwrizm, Maqtal alHusayn, vol. 2, p. 84; Ibn Jawz, Sibt, Tadhkirat al-Khaws, p. 240.
32. Ibid.
33. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Marif, p. 345.
34. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 205.
35. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 206; Yaqb, vol. 2, p. 250.
36. Ibid.
37. Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 127.
Open Confrontation of the People of

Medina against Umayyid Government
Confiscation of the state property by the people of Medina and the fruitless and unfriendly
negotiations of the representatives of Medinan tribes with Uthmn b. Ab Sufyn was the
beginning of Muhjirin and Ansr's open confrontation with the Umayyid rule. This action of
the people of Medina actually opened up the deep and old wound inflicted on their bodies
by the Umayyid rule long time ago.
The atmosphere was quite ready for a serious action against the Umayyid government.
'Abd Allh b. Hanzala Ghasl al-Mal'ka, who had witnessed at close quarters Yazd's
irresponsibility and incompetence in Syria and even had accepted his gifts with the
intention of using them in toppling his own rule, called people of Medina to the final battle
against Yazd and the Umayyids.
'Abd Allh b. Hanzala's social status1 among the people of Medina made them to go along
with him and even choose him as the governor of Medina, swear allegiance to him, and
regarded Yazid as discharged from the Caliphate.249
Ibn Zubayr, who was himself one of the protesters and had chosen Mecca as his base, sent
a letter to the people of Medina encouraging them to stand up against Yazd and Umayyid's
administrators settled in Medina and expel them from Medina.350
Ibn Zubayr himself ousted Yazd's administrators from Hijz.451
Expulsion of the Governor of Medina

After swearing allegiance to 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala on the first day of Muharram 63 A.H.
(682, C.E.), the people of Medina expelled Uthmn b. Muhammad b. Ab Sufyn, Yazd's
representative and the governor of Medina, from that city. Then, they imprisoned the
Umayyids, their relatives, as well as those Qurayshs who were the supporters of the
Umayyid government, amounting to one thousand persons in Marwn b. Hakam's house
without doing them any harm.552
Some historians, in the meantime, have put it this way: Those imprisoned in Marwn's
house were besieged, water was denied to them, and some of them were assaulted and
battered including 'Uthmn b. Muhammad and Marwn b. Hakam and his son Abd al-Malik.6
However, such remarks have not been reported in the first hand sources.
After the revolt of Medinans and besiege of Umayyids in Marwn's house, the governor of
Medina sent his torn up shirt to Yazd along with a letter saying: Come to our rescue! The
people of Medina have expelled our clan out of Medina!7
Some have pointed out that of all the kindred of the Umayyids, only the children of Uthmn
b. 'Affn were not expelled from Medina.8
Some have also pointed out that the governor of Medina escaped to Syria overnight.956
Yazd's Reaction against the People of Medina

The letter written by Marwn b. Hakam and the Umayyids was delivered to Yazd by Habb
b. Kurra and upon reading the letter, Yazd got agitated and asked Habb: Didn't the
Umayyids and their relatives and slaves amount to a thousand people? Habb answered:
Yes; they were even over a thousand.
Yazd asked: So, why didn't they resist for a while?
The courier replied: All the inhabitants were united against them, so they were unable to
resist against such a great number of people.10
At night time, while two guards were flanking him on his sides and he was holding a candle
in his hand, Yazd left the palace in a colorful outfit and with an angry face, walked to the
mosque, climbed the pulpit, and cried out:
O People of Syria! 'Uthmn b. Muhammad, the governor of Medina, has written to me that
the People of Medina have expelled the Umayyids from the town. I swear to God that if
there were no greenery or prosperity, it would be more tolerable for me than to hear this
news.1158
With these words, in fact, Yazd declared his firm decision to send his forces to attack
Medina.
Yazd wrote a letter to the people of Medina and ordered 'Uthmn b. Muhammad, the
governor of Medina, to read it for them. He sent the letter through Nu'mn b. Bashr Ansr
and told him:
Most of the people of Medina are your relatives. Go to them and prevent them from
opposition, for if they did not revolt on this matter, the people will not dare to oppose me.
Nu'mn went to his relatives in Medina and ordered them to obey and warned them against
revolt and sedition, but they didn't listen to him.12 Not only that, in reply, they said to
Nu'mn:
O Nu'mn! Yazd is not a Muslim, because he drinks wine day and night; he does not offer
obligatory prayers, he practices debauchery, and he deems as permissible shedding the
blood of the descendents of the Prophet (s); and you know that no other Caliph has not
done what Yazd has been doing. He does not deserve to be the leader of Muslim
community.1360
As soon as 'Uthmn b. Muhammad timidly read Yazd's letter to the people of Medina, 'Abd
Allh b. Mut' and some other people began to curse and use abusive language. When they
found out that Yazd had dispatched an army to suppress them, they made a firm decision
to stand up and fight against it.1461
After the people of Medina decisively resolved to fight against the army of Syria, the
Umayyids were ousted out of town, either on their own demand or as deemed advisable by
Medinan fighters, and settled in a place called Dh Khushub15 located at a day's journey
from Medina.16
Marwn b. Hakam was among the expelled. However, he was happy for not having stayed
in Medina because he knew that if they had stayed in Medina, they would have been more
at a loss than otherwise. Thus, Marwn told his son 'Abd al-Malik:
O My son! It seems that the people of Medina have permitted us to leave without
consulting each other or without enough deliberation, or they have expelled us from
Medina.
'Abd al-Malik asked his father why he said so?
Marwn answered: The very fact that the people did not kill or take us captive is enough to
be happy, for if they took us captive, they would keep us as hostages and would kill us in
case of invasion of Syrian army! Now we are worried that they would realize their mistake
and change their minds to chase after us!1764
1. Hanzala b. Ab mir, a famous companion of the Prophet (s), was a youth who got
married to Jamla, Abd Allh b. Ubayy's daughter, consummated with her and Abd Allh's
embryo was conceived but he did not get the chance to perform the major ablution (ghusl)
in the morning as he had to proceed to the battle of Uhud on the orders of Prophet (s) and
was martyred. The Prophet (s) told the people that the angels had performed the ghusl on
him (Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 46; Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 310).
2. Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 47; Qazwn, Muhammad Husain, Riyd al-Ahzn, p. 176.
3. Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 264; Maqdis, Al-Bad wa al-Tarkh, vol. 1, p. 15.
4. Ibn Atham Kfi, Al-Futh, vol. 3, p. 179; Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 69.
5. Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 47 and 166; Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p.
208; Yaqb, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 250; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Trkh, vol. 4, p. 111; Fakhr,
Tarkh, p. 115; Ibn Khaldn, Trkh, vol. 2, p. 37.
6. Yaqb, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 250; Bayhaq, Al-Mahsin wa al-Masw, vol. 1, p. 46.
7. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 2, p. 9; Bayhaq, Al-Mahsin wa al-Masw, vol.
1, p. 46; Ibn Abd Rabbih, al-Iqd al-Fard, vol. 5, p. 137; Ab al-Faraj al-Isfahn, Al-Aghn,
vol. 1, p. 25; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 111; Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1,
p. 127.
8. Azraq, Akhbr Makkat al-Musharrafa, vol. 1, p. 139.
11. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 2, p. 9; Bayhaq, Al-Mahsin wa al-Masw,
vol. 1, p. 46.
13. Balam, Tarkh Nma-yi Tabar, vol. 2, p. 719.
15. Yqt Hamaw, Mujam al-Buldn, vol. 2, p. 372.
16. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 208; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol.
4, p. 111.
17. Ab al-Faraj al-Isfahn, Al-Aghn, vol. 1, p. 24.
Dispatch of the Syrian Army to Medina

Yazd knew that the military expedition to Medina and the Prophet's (s) shrine, where many
of the inhabitants were the Muhjirin and Ansr and the companions of the Prophet (s)
would be a difficult task, requiring a confidential and trustable commander.
The historians reported that Yazd first called upon a person named Dahhk b. Qays Fihr1,
then 'Amr b. Sa'd Ashdaq2), and after that 'Ubayd Allh b. Ziyd3 to carry out this mission.
Each one of them, however, rejected this mission, stating that shedding the blood of the
descendents of Muhjirin and Ansr and violating the sanctity of the Prophet's (s) shrine
was a burden too heavy for them to shoulder.
Finally, this mission was assigned to someone known as Muslim b. 'Uqba and Yazd
entrusted this costly command to him!
Muslim b. 'Uqba was an old man who had lived for more than ninety years and was sick
then!468
A person at that age and in that unfavorable physical condition did not seem to be the right
option for such a mission. But, apparently it seemed that Yazd:
Firstly, had to take this option, as the others whom he had selected did not accept the
mission.
Secondly, the mission required above all, a commander who was entirely at the service of
the Umayyids and deeply devoted to them; and Mu'wiyah had already talked to Yazd
about Muslim b. 'Uqba and reassured him of his devotedness and loyality to the
Umayyids.569
Thirdly, Yazd had to send someone to the battle against the Muhjirin and Ansr who had
no fear of bloodshed and whose physical appearance could be a source of encouragement
to the troops.
Although Muslim b. 'Uqba was physically not regarded as a commander powerful enough to
stir up the forces by his military gestures, his old age could encourage the nave and illinformed troops of Syrian army to invade the sanctity of the Prophet's holy land and fail to
view it as an emotionally and religiously vile act.
With these calculations in mind, Yazd appointed Muslim b. 'Uqba as the commander-i-chief of his army and assigned Husayn b. Numayr Sakn, Hubaysh b. Dulja Qn, and Rawh
b. Zanb' Jazm, each of them to separately command a section of that army.670
Yazd ordered the government's officials as well as the ordinary people to be encouraged to
participate in this conflict.
The state heralds were announcing in the streets and public places:
O People! Mobilize for fighting against the people of Hijz and receive your wage!
Whoever volunteered would receive one hundred dinars cash right on the spot. Those for
whom only money was important immediately agreed. After a short while about twelve
thousand individuals gathered.7
Some other historians have reported the number of Syrian army as amounting to ten
thousand troops.
The age span of the troops was between twenty to fifty years. All required equipment had
been provided for them, so that many camels were carrying necessary equipment and
weapons of the army.872
Some other historians have put it this way: Yazd ordered people to prepare to go to Hijz;
twenty thousand infantry troops and seven thousand cavalries prepared. Yazd gave two
hundred dinars to the mounted and a hundred dinars to the infantry troops as award and
ordered them to move along with Muslim b. 'Uqba.973
Yazd accompanied Muslim b. 'Uqba and the Syrian army for about half a Farsakh (2.8 km)
to see them off.10
Among the army, some Syrian Christians were also seen who had prepared to fight against
the people of Medina.11
1. Ibn Atham Kfi, Al-Futh, vol. 3, p. 179.
2. Amr b. Sad b. s b. Umayyah b. Abd Shams, renowned as Ashdaq is the same person
who was the governor of Medina in 61 A.H. (680 C.E.) when Imam Husain (a) was
martyred. (Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 176
3. Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 11.
5. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 180; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 112; Samhd, Waf alWaf, vol. 1, p. 130.
6. Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 310; Ibn Kathr, Al-Bidyat wa al-Nihya, vol. 6, p. 234.
7. Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 112; Ibn Taghr Bird, Al-Nujm al-Zhira, vol. 1,
p. 261; Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 128.
8. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 209; Ab al-Fid, Al-Mukhtasar f Akhbr
al-Bashar, vol. 1, p. 192.
9. Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 310; Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 371; Ibn Atham Kfi, AlFuth, vol. 5, p. 180.
10. Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 2, p. 95; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 56;
Balam, Tarkh Nma-yi Tabar, vol. 4, p. 279.
11. Philip Hitti, Tarkh al-Arab, vol. 1, p. 248.
Yazd's Orders to the Commanders of

the Syrian Army
Since Muslim b. 'Uqba was sick at the time of departure to Medina and was unable to mount
the horse, he was placed on a couch and carried on slaves' shoulders.1 Yazd recommended
him to name Husayn b. Numayr Sakn as his deputy in case any problem would arise for
him.2 As for the people of Medina, he advised him as follows:
Invite the people of Medina three times. If they accept, it is better; but if they do not, in
case you triumph over them, massacre them for three days. Whatever there might be in
that city - including properties, human beings, animals, and weapons - would be lawful for
the troops. Do not prevent the people of Syria from doing what they want to do with their
enemy. When the three days' period is over, cease the massacre and plunder and ask
people to swear allegiance to be Yazd's slaves! When you are done with Medina, move
towards Mecca.3
2. Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 112; Azraq, Akhbr Makkat al-Musharrafa, vol.
1, p. 139.
3. Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 264; Ibn Atham Kfi, Al-Futh, vol. 5, p. 180; Ibn Athr,
Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 112; Ibn al-Ward, Tatimmat al-Mukhtasar, vol. 1, p. 233;
Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 128; Azraq, Akhbr Makkat al-Musharrafa, vol. 1, p.
139; Ab al-Fid, Al-Mukhtasar f Akhbr al-Bashar, vol. 1, p. 192.
The Itinerary of the Syrian Army

Historians have recorded their itinerary stage by stage, although there are minor
differences between various sources.
Istakhr has noted the distance between Syria and Medina to be twenty stages (manzil),1
without recording the names of the stages; but Ibn Rusta has named some of the stages
and regarded them to be twelve.2
Ibn Batta has named seventeen stages between Syria and Medina,3 but since Ibn Batta
has written his book in 779 A.H. (1377 C.E.), and Ibn Rusta wrote his in 290 A.H. (902 C.E.),
Ibn Rusta's view seems to be more authentic in terms of its chronological proximity to the
time of the incidence. He has not pointed out to all the names, though.
Ibn Khurddhbih has also considered the itinerary to be the same as what Ibn Rusta noted.4
Due to the long period between these two sources, we will proceed to give a brief list of the
stages between Syria and Medina as follows:
1. Kuswa (the first township which was at a 12 mile5 distance from Damascus),
2. Jsim (24 miles from Damascus),
3. Fq (or Afq, 24 miles from Jsim),
4. Sanamayn (12 miles from Fq),
5. Zar'a (15 or 18 miles from Sanamayn),
6. Busr (4 stages from Damascus and the same place where the Prophet (s), before his
mission and during his business travel to Syria, met the Christian Monk and the latter
recognized on his features, the signs of prophethood),6
7. Karak,
8. Ma'n,
9. Hism,
10. Dht al-Manr (the beginning of Syrian territory from Medina),
11. Lajn,
12. Saragh (a village near Tabk),
13. Dht Haj,
14. Taym' (name of a river north of Tabk),
15. Hajar,
16. Wd al-Qur,
17. 'Ulm,
18. Junayna,
19. Janb,
20. Ruhba,
21. Dh al-Marwa,
22. Marr,
23. Jurf,
24. Suwayd,
25 Hudayya,
26. Dh Khushub.
Obviously, the above-mentioned stages are the known villages and townships on the way
between Syria and Medina and it does not mean that the distance between each one of
them is a day's journey.
However, when the Syrian army reached Wd al-Qur, they met with the Umayyids who
were expelled or had escaped from Medina.
Muslim b. 'Uqba first inquired about the military preparedness and spiritual conditions of
the people of Medina and the number of their fighters in order to plan how to penetrate into
Medina and triumph over the people.
Muslim b. 'Uqba asked Marwn b. Hakam how to triumph over the people of Medina.
Marwn answered: The number of Medinans is more than your troops, but not all of them
have enough arms. On the other hand, they lack enough motivation, purpose, and goal and
are unable to withstand the swords.
Marwn b. Hakam said to Muslim b. 'Uqba: Your biggest problem is the trench they have
dug around Medina to block your way and in order to guard them they have assigned their
resolute men who will not easily leave the trench. I know how to break up this blockade but
I will reveal it to you in due course. 7
Muslim b. 'Uqba did not content himself with Marwn's statements and tried to obtain more
accurate information about Medina from the Umayyids, but they refused to give more
information with the pretext that we have taken an oath to the people of Medina not to
give you any information, but 'Abd al-Malik, son of Marwn, has not taken any oath of
secrecy and you can acquire more information from him.886
The Umayyids were apparently afraid that Yazd's army will not be able to conquer Medina,
so they did not wish to endanger the prospects of their stay as well as their property and
lands in Medina; otherwise, the Umayyids were not such people as to keep their oath.
As recommended by the Umayyids, Muslim b. 'Uqba consulted the young and
inexperienced 'Abd al-Malik in a private session, and asked him about the people of Medina,
their insurgency, and how to confront them. Declaring his readiness for any cooperation,
'Abd al-Malik said:
In my opinion, you must advance to the palm groves near Medina and do not hasten to
enter the city. Settle the army next to the palm groves and order the troops to rest and
enjoy the date palms and other facilities available there. After a one day rest, move toward
Medina. You should not enter the city from the west; rather, you should choose an entrance
in which Medina may lie on your left. This necessitates that you enter the battle with the
people of Medina through Harrah which is on the eastern side of Medina, for if you fight
with those people during the first half of the day, the sun will be behind you, and hurt the
eyes of the Medinan fighters and block their visibility. This way, you will see them well, but
they will be dazzled by the glittering of your swords, lances, and helmets.
Muslim b. 'Uqba welcomed and admired 'Abd al-Malik's advice.987
For the itinerary of Syrian army from Damascus to Medina, see the following map.
1. Istakhr, Maslik al-Mamlik, p. 27.

2. Ibn Rusta, Alq al-Nafsa, p. 214.
3. Ibn Batta, Al-Rihla, p. 129-133.
4. Ibn Khurddhbh, Al-Maslik wa al-Mamlik, p. 105.
5. Every three miles has been regarded as one parasang; see: Turayh, Majma al-Bahrayn,
vol. 5, 476.
6. Ab al-Fid, Taqwm al-Buldn, p. 277.
The Syrian Army Camps near Medina

Muslim b. 'Uqba and his troops left Wdi al-Qur' for Medina and camped his army at a
place called Jurf at a distance of three miles from Medina.188
On the other hand, it was long since the people of Medina had been informed about the
departure of Syrian army and were prepared for confrontation and defense. They
reconstructed the same trench that the Muslims had dug to defend Medina in the battle of
Ahzb (Khandaq), which over time had partly ruined. They also erected high walls to
protect some parts of Medina.289
Reconstruction of the old trench and construction of new trenches took fifteen days in all.3
For these tasks, the Quraysh had undertaken the distance between Rtij4 and Ahzb
Mosque and the Ansr, the distance between Ahzb Mosque and the Ban Salama and
Mawl neighborhood to carry out the digging and reconstructing the trench from Rtij to
the Ban 'Abd al-Ashhal.592
The trench had been dug on the west side of Medina, so Muslim b. 'Uqba was determined,
after consultations he had or because of the trench that was an impenetrable barrier to his
troops, to launch the attack from the east of Medina which was a rocky land called Harrah.6
The setting up of Syrian army camp near Medina made the people of Medina take the war
more seriously and plan and carry out extra measures to defend the town. For the sake of
integration of defense and battle, they also had to choose someone as their commander-i-chief.The setting up of Syrian army camp near Medina made the people of Medina take the
war more seriously and plan and carry out extra measures to defend the town. For the sake
of integration of defense and battle, they also had to choose someone as their commanderin-chief.The setting up of Syrian army camp near Medina made the people of Medina take
the war more seriously and plan and carry out extra measures to defend the town. For the
sake of integration of defense and battle, they also had to choose someone as their
commander-in-chief.
2. Yaqb, Tarkh-i vol. 2, p. 250; Masd, Al-Tanbh wa al-Ishrf, p. 263; Samhd, Waf
al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 129.
3. Digging the trench and its reconstruction took six days (Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 2, p. 67).
4. Name of Jewish quarter in Medina (Yqt Hamaw, Mujam al-Buldn, vol. 2, p. 128).
5. Ban Abd al-Ashhal is a caln of the Aws tribe from which Sad b. Madh and a number
of Sahba are regarded to have originated; Suwayd, Sabik al-Dhahab, p. 173; Zirkl, alAlm, vol. 2, p. 42.
Abd Allh b. Hanzala, Commander of

Medinan Forces
'Abd Allh b. Hanzala played a pivotal role in the battle of Harrah. Having been influential in
provoking people for battle against Yazd and the Umayyid rule, he now undertook the high
command of the combatant forces in the defense of Medina.
In fact, the role that Ibn Zubayr had undertaken in Mecca was played by 'Abd Allh b.
Hanzala in Medina.
With the Syrian army approaching Medina, 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala called people to the
Prophet's (s) Pulpit in Masjid al-Nab and asked all those who accompanied him, to swear
allegiance to him until the end of their lives.
The people of Medina swore an enduring allegiance to him and said that they would be with
him to the last of their lives. 'Abd Allh mounted the pulpit and after praising God said:
O people! You have revolted for the sake of religion, so try to successfully come out of this
trial and be graced with God's forgiveness, and may you enjoy the Paradise!
Be ready to fight with all your strength and power!
Let me inform you that the Syrians have halted and camped near Medina and that Marwn
b. Hakam and the Umayyids are also with them. If God wishes, He will punish him for
breaking the pledge he had made at the Prophet's (s) tomb! The people then began to
curse and swear out loud together at Marwn and the Umayyids and called Marwn a frog
son of a frog!1)
'Abd Allh then called people to silence and peace, saying: Swearing does not solve any
problem; so, prepare for battle, since, by God, no people have ever proceeded with
truthfulness except that they triumphed by Divine assistance.
Then, 'Abd Allh raised his hands to the sky and said: O Lord! We trust You and have faith
in You and rely on You, ask You to help us triumph.295
The historians have elsewhere reported that 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala also said:
O People of Medina! We did not revolt except for the reason that Yazd is an adulterous,
drunkard, and prayerless (denouncer of Salt) man; and tolerating his rule will cause
descent of Divine punishment. If I would be left alone and no one would help me, still I
won't give up revolting against Yazd.39696
Meanwhile, Muslim b. 'Uqba, who was seeking to find a way to penetrate into and dominate
over Medina, got the chance to address the people of Medina by sending them the following
message:
Amr al-Mu'minn Yazd sends his regards to you and says that you are his clan and
kinsmen. Fear God! Listen to my words and obey. There are two bounties for you with me in
my covenant to God: one in summer and the other one in winter. I have made a covenant
to God to keep the price of wheat for you at the same rate as it is for us, which was one
dirham for every s' (3 kg.). As for the bounty that 'Amr b. Sa'd Ashdaq has taken away
from you, it is upon me to return it to you.497
This message had no impact on the people of Medina, because, although there were some
people among them whose religious motivations were overshadowed by their material,
tribal, and emotional motives, a large number of the pioneers of this uprising were decisive
and purposeful people who were mainly motivated to overthrow the Umayyid rule and to
fight against Yazd as a person notorious for his incompetence and irreligiousness.
Thus, in response to Muslim b. 'Uqba, they said: We have removed Yazd from Caliphate
just like a shoe that we remove from out feet.5
Nevertheless, Muslim b. 'Uqba gave the Medinans three days' time to finally make up their
mind.699
Suffering from illness, Muslim b. 'Uqba avoided attacking Medina for three days, and then
since he did not receive a favorable answer from the Medinans, finally decided to overcome
them by force and violence and subdue them to Yazd.
Evidence shows that Muslim b. 'Uqba's hesitation for fighting the Medinans was not merely
for avoiding slaughtering, rather, he was commissioned to go to Mecca after suppressing
the Medinans' revolt in order to suppress Ibn. Zubayr's revolt as well. Muslim b. 'Uqba
seemed to fear that if the battle with the Medinans would become difficult and lengthy, the
fighting energy of Syrian forces would get exhausted and then he would not be able to
confront Ibn. Zubayr and gain victory over him.
That was because fighting with Ibn Zubayr in Mecca was in many aspects more difficult and
risky than fighting with the people of Medina. First of all Mecca was a Divine Sanctuary on
which invasion and launching a military campaign would cost the invaders dearly; and
secondly, the distance between Mecca and Medina and its scorching and dry desert would
severely wear out Syrian forces. That was why Muslim b. 'Uqba in his last talk to the people
of Medina said: If you give up revolting and disobedience, I will get the chance to use all
the Syrian forces against Ibn Zubayr, who is an impious and rebellious man!
However, he was unaware of the fact that they not only approved of Ibn Zubayr but did not
allow the Syrian army to make any attempt to invade the Divine Sanctuary and attack that
Holy Land!7
1. With this appellation, people were in fact referring to a hadth from the Prophet (s) who
had used the epithet a frog son of a frog about Hakam and Marwn for their indecent
behavior. (Ibn Ab al-Hadd, Sharh Nahj al-Balgha, vol. 4, p. 71.
2. Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 48; Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 20.
3. Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 47.
4. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 2, p. 9; Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 374.
5. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 2, p. 9; Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 374.
6. Ibid, vol. 4, p. 374; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 114.
Confrontation of the Syrian Army and

the Medinan Forces
Combatants and defenders of Medina had, as mentioned above, reconstructed the trench
and created a defensive and safety barrier blocking the enemy on the western side of the
city that consisted of flat lands and seemed easy for the enemy to pass. They ruled out the
possibility that the Syrian army can launch their assault from the rocky and rough side of
the east of Medina or even if they did launch it from there, they can barely make headway.
The prediction of the Medinan combatants came true, as the Syrian army was never able to
pass the Western side of the city and cross the trench, and thus was forced to move to the
rocky eastern side to invade the city.
First the Syrian archers entered the battle. Ibn Hanzala told his troops: We are now
targeted by arrows; whoever wishes to enter paradise should sacrifice his life around this
banner - the banner of Medinans!
Upon Ibn Hanzala's speech, the self-sacrificing combatants accompanied him and got into a
fierce battle against the Syrian army and an unprecedented war broke out in that land.1
'Abd Allh b. Hanzala told his companions: It is true that your enemy has found the way to
fight, but I do not think they will be able to resist more than one hour. You are the Muhjirin
and the companions of the Prophet (s); I do not think God is more pleased with any other
people than you! Death is the indispensable destiny of all human beings, but no death is
superior to martyrdom; martyrdom is in front of you, take advantage of it!2
2. Ibid, vol. 4, p. 117.
The Syrian's Defeat during the Early

Stages
After 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala's sermon, the Medinan forces got ready for another attack. Ibn
Hanzala reorganized his troops and made Fadl b. 'Abbs the head of the defending army
and entrusted the banner to him.
The Quraish troops were put under the command of 'Abd Allh b. Mut' 'Adaw1, the
Muhjirin under the command of Ma'qal, and the Ansr were commanded by Ibn Hanzala
himself. The voluntary public forces that undertook the guarding of the trench were put
under the command of 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Zahr.2104
Fadl b. 'Abbs's fight along with the experienced cavalries was very effective in dispersing
the Syrian forces. The Syrians escaped and the Fadl's riders approached near the Syrian
army tents.
Fadl b. 'Abbs encouraged his riders and companions and called them to resistance,
galloping onwards until he reached the standard-bearer - Muslim b. 'Uqba - and attacked
him, cutting through his helmet and killing him with a single stroke of his sword.
Fadl imagined he had killed Muslim b. 'Uqba, whereas the standard bearer had been a
brave Roman slave.3
Anyhow, the Syrian army was apprehended by this gallant attack launched by the Medinan
cavalries and failed to advance. Muslim b. 'Uqba encouraged them to fight and when
noticed their infirmity, he cursed them and threatened for their fear and retreat, and said:
I swear by God! Whoever of you that flees, will be killed by Amr al-Mu'minn Yazd in a
most cruel way or at least the shame of it will remain with him for the rest of his life. If you
do not fight and advance seriously enough, do not disperse or separate from each other.4
Whatever region around Medina that the Syrians attacked, the presence of the Medinan
defenders would force them back to Muslim b. 'Uqba!5
The battle lasted till noon. 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala asked one of his slaves to safeguard him in
the rear so that he could say his prayers. 'Abd Allh performed his prayer6 and went on to
fight against the Syrians.

1. Abd Allh b. Mut b. Aswad b. Haritha b. Awf b. Abd b. Awj b. Adiyy b. Kab was born
in the time of the Prophet (s); he participated in the battle of Harrah, but after the Medina
resistance was broken down, he escaped to Mecca to Ibn Zubayr and was killed with him.
(Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 106; Ibn Athr, Usd al-Ghba, vol. 3, p. 262.)
Marwn b. Hakam's Role in Penetration

of Syrian Army into Medina
Medina, like a stronghold, was resisting against the Syrian army and breaking through the
Medinan troops seemed not very easy.1109
Having become worried, Muslim b. 'Uqba turned to Marwn and said: You claimed earlier
in Wd al-Qur that you have devised a plan for penetrating into Medina that you will carry
out in its due time; is it not the right time to carry it out?!
Marwn b. Hakam set out toward Medina until he arrived near Ban Hritha tribe. He
summoned one of the tribe's men whom he had already identified and in a secret
conversation promised to heavily reward him and do good to him for showing a way to
penetrate into Medina. The man was taken in.2 He showed Marwn a way to Medina from
the neighborhood of Ban 'Abd al-Ashhal and the Syrian troops penetrated into Medina from
that same way. 3
A considerable number of troops managed to reach behind the front lines of the Medinan
combatants, clashed with them, and killed a great number of them.4
It so happened that the front line combatants and defenders heard the takbr and wailing
from inside Medina5 and after a very short while noticed the onslaught of the Syrian army
prompting them to leave the battle and rush back to Medina to defend their women and
children!6
The news of the Syrians invasion of Medina quickly spread all over the Medina's resistant
front and overwhelmingly alarmed the people of Medina. A group of them returned to
Medina and another group clashed with the Syrians, while a third group were rolled down
into the trench in their hit-and-run fighting and skirmishes that resulted in the number of
the people killed in the trench outnumbering those who were killed in the battle field.7
From this stage on, the Medinan defending forces dispersed and gradually weakened, not
showing much resistance in the battle field.
Muslim b. 'Uqba pointed to the standard-bearer of the Medinan forces Fadl b. 'Abbs and
instigated his soldeirs to carry out a targetted and harmonized attack on him. A heavy
fighting broke out in which Fadl b. 'Abbs was killed, while being at a distance of ten cubits
about five meters away from Muslim b. 'Uqba.8

In this attack, Zayd b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'Awf also lost his life along with Fadl b. 'Abbs.9
1. Yaqb, Tarkh vol. 2, p. 250.
2. The reason why the Ban Hritha had betrayed the Medinans is not mentioned in history,
but as Yazd's mother, Maysn, was from this tribe, it is possible that it has been a factor in
their cooperation with Yazd's army (Ibn Abd Rabbih, al-Iqd al-Fard, vol. 5, p. 124). Of
course, this tribe also had a record of treason in the battle of Ahzb at the time of the
Prophet (s) and that the yah 14 of Srat al-Ahzb was revealed in reproaching them. (Ibn
Hisham, Al-Srat al-Nabawiyya, vol. 2, p. 106; Sayyid Qutb, F Zill al-Qur'n, vol. 6, p. 556).
3. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 211; Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 310;
Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 129. Various viewpoints have been expressed
concerning the geographical location of Ban Hritha and Ban Abd al-Ashhal tribes' area,
from among which the soundest view seems to be that their area has been located in the
easern part of Medina; i.e., the region where the trench was located between the
Shaykhn area, Uhud region and Urayd area. See: Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 191;
Yqt Hamaw, Mujam al-Buldn, vol. 5, p. 319.
8. Ibid, vol. 4, p. 118.
Wearing out of Medinan Forces before

the Syrian Army
Following the prolongation of hit-and-run fighting and the expansion of battle front and the
treachery of Marwn b. Hakam and Ban Hritha, the early resistance of the leading fighting
troops of Medina little by little began to slacken. In addition, with a part of the forces being
killed and wounded, their women and children burst into wailing and crying and the nonmilitary men, who were wearing armor, rapidly lost their morale. The fighting combatants
whose number barely exceeded a thousand1, gradually began to feel weak and
unsupported before the massive army of the enemy who were armed to the teeth and
unworried of their women, children, property, and lives contrary to the people of Medina and who would take to the open desert behind them in case of retreating.
The standard bearer of the Medinan troops was killed and the number of their fighters was
significantly reduced in a short time. To provoke the people, 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala took off
his armor, unsheathed his sword and called people to resistance and defense; but the
Syrian troops kept moving onward, until they killed 'Abd Allh's three sons before his very
eyes.2119
Muslim b. 'Uqba, who was viewing the movement of his mounted Syrian forces on the stony
ground as difficult, in order to encourage the infantry men of his army, ordered them to
dismount from their horses and move on foot. He said: O People of Syria! Fighting on foot
is not exclusive to a particular group. O Husayn b. Numayr and O 'Abd Allh b. 'Idt Ash'ar!
Dismount your horses along with your army!
They all dismounted their horses and advanced on food.
The Syrians were attacking from all directions and killing the people of Medina. The battle
was going on to the advantage of the Syrians, overshadowing the vigorous resistance of the
defenders of Medina.
'Abd Allh b. Hanzala was striking his sword and reciting following couplets:
Far from those who seek corruption and rebellion and turn away from the truth and the
signs of guidance;
The Merciful God will not keep anyone away from His Mercy except the disobedient.3120
Normally, a combatant at that time in history would brag with such utterances in the battle
field when he wants to express his goal of offence or defense. 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala was
seeking to encourage the people of Medina to resist on the one hand and to remind the
Syrians of his motive and to resist the Umayyid distorters of religion, on the other.
Muslim b. 'Uqba ordered 'Abd Allh b. 'Idt Ash'ar to move towards 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala
and his companions with fifteen archers and when they were close enough, start shooting
arrows at them.4121
Thus, finally, 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala fell on the ground and was killed by Syrian troops and
with his death the remaining resisting defenders of Medina broke up. The Syrian army
chased the Medinans and killed several people in this way.5
The sun was setting while the dark shadow of the avaricious and revengeful army of Syria
was weighing down on the defenseless people of Medina and setting the monster of death,
horror, and plunder over their women, children, and life!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 212.

Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 48; Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 1, p. 212.
Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 117.
Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 377.
Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 69.
The Syrian Armys Savage Invasion of

Medinan Houses
As to the exact date of the Harrah event, some of the historians have reported it to be the
year 62 A.H. (682 C.E.) 1 and some 63 A.H. (683 C.E.)2; of which, of course, the majority of
the historians have taken the latter as more accurate and asserted the abominable day to
be Wednesday 27th or 28th of Dh'l Hijja 63 A.H.3 which is according to solar calendar to
be August 27, 683 C.E.16
Referring to the historical sources and adding up and analyzing the various views will
strengthen the notion that the Syrian army actually entered the battle region at the
outskirts of Medina - i.e. Harrah - on Monday 24th of Dh'l Hijja 63 A.H. (August 23, 683
C.E.)4, and after three days respite, the Syrian army's invasion of Medina started from
Harrah region at dawn on 27th of Dh'l Hijja, and later, on the same day, the defenders of
Medina were killed at the end of the same day, and the Syrian army seized the city of
Medina overnight.
Narration of all the aspects of the battle of Harrah must be considered on one side and this
tragic part (the crimes of the Syrian army in Medina) of the history of Yazd's Caliphate, as
the heaviest and the most heinous of all the dreadful events that took place in this battle,
on the other.
Dnawar puts it this way:
Entrance of Syrian army into Medina took place on 27th of Dh'l Hijja 63 A.H. and Medina
was in the clutches of Syrian army until the rise of the new crescent of Muharram.5
As Yazd b. Mu'wiyah had advised, Muslim b. 'Uqba ordered the Syrian army after
conquering Medina: Your hands are open! Do whatever you wish! Plunder Medina for three
days.6
This way, the city of Medina was allowed as permissible to the Syrian troops to exploit and
plunder in whatever way they wished, leaving no man or woman on their way secure from
their carnage, killing the people, and pillaging their properties.7129
More grievous than the Syrian's plundering and slaying the people of Medina and the
remaining generation of the companions of Prophet (s) as well as the Muhjirin and Ansr,
was the rash and avaricious Syrians troops' assault upon the chastity of the women of
Medina!
If we accept that the Syrian army was consisted of 27 thousand armed men8 aged between
20 to 50 years old, we will find out how disastrous could the invasion of this number of
troops have been on a town surrounded by numerous trenches and rugged lands. And if we
agree with a number of historians who have estimated the Syrian army in the battle of
Harrah to be the least of 10 thousand fighting men, still we can guess the extension of this
catastrophe that took place in Medina.
The ten thousand young fighting men, who have for several days traversed the long
distance between Syria and Medina with much hardship, overwhelmed the enemy in a
single day of aggressive and severely harsh hit-and-fighting, and given full permission by
their commander and central government for any action they wished to do, now at the end
of the day stepped into houses whose men are either killed or escaped or have raised their
hands up as a sign of surrender to be taken as captives.
How would have such ravenous and rash men treated the helpless and unprotected
women, girls and children?!
We do not need to merely guess and imagine the extension of the tragedy; because the
historians have explicitly recorded what had taken place:
Thousands of women were assaulted in the invasion of the Syrians into Medinat al-Nab (s),
and months after the battle of Harrah, thousands of babies were born whose fathers were
unknown, hence were named children of Harrah! The sinister aftermaths of this ethicohuman diaster left its ominous impact on families and the marriages of their daughters,
bringing in many individual and social problems that are too heavy to be expressed by any
pen.9131
Streets of Medina were filled with the bodies of the killed, blood stains covered the way up
to the Prophet's (s) Mosque10, children were killed in their mothers' laps11, and the old
companions of the Apostle of Allah (s) were persecuted and disgraced.12134
1. Yaqb, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 251.

2. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 212
3. Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 120; Ibn Athr, Al-Bidya wa al-Nihya, vol. 6, p.
236; Ibn Taghr Bird, Al-Nujm al-Zhira, vol. 1, p. 132.
4. Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 120; Ibn Kathr, Al-Bidya wa al-Nihya, vol. 6,
p. 236; Ibn Taghr Bird, Al-Nujm al-Zhira, vol. 1, p. 132.
5. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 220, 212.
6. Ibid, vol. 2, p. 10.
7. Ibn Atham Kfi, Al-Futh, vol. 3, p. 181; Madqis, Al-Badu wa al-Tarkh, vol. 6, p. 16;
Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 17; Ibn Imd, Shadhart al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 71.
8. Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 256; Ibn Atham Kfi, Al-Futh. vol. 5, p. 180.
9. See: Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 10; Ibn Atham Kfi, Al-Futh, vol. 3,
p. 181; Maqdis, Al-Bad wa al-Tarkh, vol. 6, p. 16; Ibn Khallikn, Wafayt al-Ayn, vol. 6,
p. 276; Ibn Jawz, Sibt, Tadhkirat al-Khaws, p. 259; Tarkh al-Khulafa, p. 209.
10. Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, 4, p. 17.
12. Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 265.
Crimes committed in the Prophets Holy

Shrine and Mosque (Masjid al-Nabi)
It was natural that a group of Medinans took refuge out of despair in the Apostle of Allah
(s)'s mosque (Masjid al-Nabi) and Holy mausoleum thinking it to be secured against the
Syrian army's invasion. But did the newly converted Syrian Muslims and those trained and
reared by the Umayyids show any respect for the Prophet (s) and his mosque? Or like their
commander Yazd, they would say in their intoxication of victory and arrogance: Hshim
(Prophet's great grand father and leader of Bani Hashim) has played to acquire the rule
(hukmat); there has been no divine revelation (upon Prophet of God), nor any news
descended from heaven!
History has mournfully recorded that the Syrain troops didn't show any respect for the Holy
Shrine, House and the Mosque of the Prophet (s). Even the refugees in the Mosque of the
Prophet (s) were not secure against the invaders. The Syrian troops mercilessly killed those
who took refuge in the mosque of the Prophet (s) and near the Holy grave of Prophet (s).
The spilled blood of the innocent covered the mosque floor and reached the Holy grave of
Prophet (s). Until the Syrian troops remained in Medina, nobody dared to enter the mosque
of Prophet (s). The mosque was empty of people1 and Yazd's horsemen tied their horses to
the pillars in the mosque. Only animals including dogs entered the mosque of Prophet (s)
and urinated and defecated on the pulpit (minber) of the Prophet (s)! 2 This was the most
heinous aspect of the Syrian invasion that no sane Muslim can accept and tolerate. It
showed how Umayyids had hidden their enemity against Islam and the Prophet (s) and
were planning for a long time to take their revenge from Prophet (s), Islam and the
Muslims. Ab Sa'd Khudr, the famous companion of the Prophet (s) said: 'By God, for three
days when Syrians were busy in plundering, we didn't hear any call for prayers (azan) in
Medina, except from the grave of Prophet (s)!'3
One of the Meccan poets wrote an elegy about the tragedy of Harrah as follows:
Yazd targeted us by Muslim b. 'Uqba, leaving none of our youth alive!

He dispatched a massive army, roaring like a torrential sea, to Medina.
They killed residents of Medina with uttermost wrath and violence; leaving the night behind
while dead bodies lay scattered around.
The Ansr bitterly wept for the hideous bloodshed in Medina, and the Ashja' tribe for Ma'qal
b. Sann.4
'Abd al-Rahmn b. Sa'd b. Zayd b. Nufayl, a talented poet of the time, put it as follows:
If you are determined to kill us on the day of Harrahtu Wqim, we have no fear; for we are
among the first to lose our life in the way of Islam.
It was we who humiliated you in the battle of Badr and made you helpless and miserable.5
The battle of Harrah and the occupation of Medina, the city of Prophet (s), and the
slaughter and plunder of the people of Medina ended after three days, with Yazd's army
commanded by Muslim b. 'Uqba set out to Mecca to create another tragedy in the Land of
Divine Revelation!
However, the painful impacts of the Harrah tragedy remained in the souls, minds, and lives
of the inhabitants of Medina for a very long time.
The intensity of the massacre and crimes was to such an extent that from then on people
called Muslim b. 'Uqba as Musrif (squanderer) b. 'Uqba for his going to extremes in killing
the people. After that, the people wore black clothes and for a whole year their wailing and
weeping was heard from their houses.6
The sanctity of religion and the mosque and the grave of the Prophet (s) was violated, the
Muhjirin and the Ansr and their families were humiliated. One of the unfortunate
consequences of this horrific tragedy was that the people of Medina slowly moved away
from religious values and indulged in moral corruption. Perhaps, in order to forget and
subdue the tragic memories of the event of Harrah, the rich among them started drinking
wine and used to invite singers and dancers. The views of the subsequent generations too
about religion and its commandmants were distorted, and dance and singing began to
prevail among them.12 The tragedy of Harrah was an event that had left its deleterious
psychological and socio-cultural effects that prevailed over a very long time and outlasted
generations.
1. Ibn Hajar Haytam, Al-Sawiq al-Muhriqa, vol. 1, p. 215, p. 222
2. Ibn Shahrshb, Manqib, vol. 4, p. 143.
3. Ibn Atham Kfi, Al-Futuh, vol. 5, p. 183
4. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 183; Ibn Abd al-Birr Numar, Al-Istb, vol. 1, p. 258; Ibn Hajar Asqaln,
Al-Isba, vol. 3, p. 446; Ibn Hazm, Jamharatu Ansb al-Arab, p. 238.
5. Zubayr Musab, Nasab-i Quraysh, p. 366; Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 137.
Imam Zayn al-Abidns (a) Stance in the

Uprising of Medinans
Considering the high status of the household of the Prophet (s) and the position of Alavids
adherents of Imam Ali ('a) and the household of the Prophet (s) in Medina, it is necessary to
shed light on their stance as well as their role during the course of Medinans uprising and
their revolt against the Umayyid rule.
The importance of this issue is obvious to any researcher of the history of Islam who has
studied and analyzed the tragedy of Harrah, or is going to do so. Particular reference to the
time of this event from a trans-historical and religious aspect should be kept in mind.
The tragedy of Harrah and Imam Zayn al-'Abidn's ('a) stance toward it is significantly
beyond just a historical research for the followers and adherents of the Prophet (s) and His
Ahl al-Bayt ('a), as the Imam's negative or positive or even indifferent reaction towards
such affairs would on one hand be a religious frame of reference to them, and on the other
hand, can be used as a basis for political and legal opinions in their religious and social life.
What we have said so far about the regretful tragedy of Harrah is a documented historical
look at the authentic reports that the historians have recorded. However, a study of the role
and position of Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) in the protest rallies of the people of Medina
against the Umayyid's rule is possible from two different aspects.
A merely historical outlook
A religious and ideological view
A. Historical Glance at Imam Zayn al-Abidns (a)

Position
If historical accounts about a personality or event merely narrate a report without special
analysis and evidence-based judgment, it can take the form of short and scattered remarks
about the past and ignore the peripheral issues and the specific conditions relating to time
and location. However, if alongside, it also makes judgments and assessments, it would
require mentioning of the relevant past records and their backgrounds.
What is recorded in the historical sources in the form of brief narrations reveals that Imam
Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) did not have an active and encouraging presence in Medinans' uprising
and revolt. Rather, he had left Medina in order not to witness the imminent tragedy there.
The fact that in the historical and traditional sources there is no statement by Imam Zayn
al-'Abidn ('a) that implies the encouragement of Medinans to resist against the Syrian army
or preventing them from revolt indicates that the Imam ('a) had not been able or had
regarded as advisable to interfere in this event. But why indeed?
Did Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) not hold the required social position, after the tragedy of
Karbala and the killing of majority of adherents of Imam Ali ('a) and the followers of Ahl alBayt ('a), to involve in the incident and viewed as futile to command the people of Medina
to guide them to good and prohibit them from evil?
Was the revolt of the inhabitants of Medina only religiously motivated or was it considered
as a combination of religious, political, tribal, and economical motivations? Or, why could
not the interference of such spiritual figure as Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) in such complicated
and multifaceted event be crucial and effective enough to be accepted and welcomed by
the major trends of the time?
Was now Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) taking upon himself as his legal and social obligation to
help out or prevent the Muhjirin and the Ansr, the reciters of Qur'an, the narrators of
hadth, and the companions of the Prophet (s) from the battle, that is those who, as he
witnessed at close quarters to himself, with all their high status and position never assisted
his grandfather 'Al, his uncle Hasan b. 'Al ('a), or his father Imam Husayn b. 'Al ('a) and
depended on their own understanding and knowledge in ups and downs of the incidents
rather than on the Ahl al-Bayt ('a)? Or else, he did not feel obliged to accompany them due
to the weakness of this movement, or did not prevent them because of their inadvisablity?
Was Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) entangled in a political and social seclusion and pursuing
monasticism? Or did he not have the morale for getting up again into conflict with the
Umayyid ruling system? Or did he firmly decide not to fight against the corruption of the
rulers and their tyranny like the manner and lifestyle (sra) of his grandfather 'Al b. Ab
Tlib ('a), his uncle Hasan b. 'Al ('a), and his father Husayn b. 'Al ('a)?!
Once the historian wants to step into research and analysis and then make a judgment
about the interference and non-interference of Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) in the tragedy of
Harrah, he would be facing all the above questions and should have answers to all of them,
presenting authentic reasons for every view he adopts.
The simplest analysis is to regard the Imam's ('a) silence as his impartiality in this event
and view that impartiality as a result of his abandoning duty and path of martyrdom and
resistance, and his compromise with the rules in order to survive. But such an analysis
would be made by an ignorant and biased person, as the past personality traits of Imam
Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) does not validate such an analysis. Despite his exhausted body due to
the wounds from the heavy chains fastened to his body and although being surrounded by
Yazd's troops and supporters and in a land where 'Al ('a) has always been cursed, he stood
up before the arrogant Umayyid ruler and cried out:
O Yazd! Are you threatening me to murder?! Have you not learned the fact that being
killed in the way of the Truth is an eternal success and a tradition among us and martyrdom
is a dignity for us?!
Did the Imam ('a) not utter these words after the tragedy of Karbal; was he not carrying
the deep wounds of the memory of 'Ashr on his body and soul when he expressed
himself so courageously?!
Was it by any means possible that such a free-spirited, brave, and noble figure would give
up all those highly influencing and chrished memories within several months and come to
compromise and lip-service with the murderers of his father and their accomplices and
become indifferent to their defeat and destruction?!
Was it not the case that whenever the eyes of his holiness were cast on fresh water, he
would weep to keep alive the memory of the severe thirst of the martyrs of Karbal and the
tyrannies they suffered and the gravity of the crimes committed by the Umayyids, leaving
deep impact on the souls and emotions?
Was he not the one who in his supplications would breathe the love of the Prophet's (s)
descendents into the souls and hearts of the monotheists, and this way would trouble the
Umayyid's slumber? Was he not the one whose brilliant thoughts and steadfast personality
inspired such great warriors as Zayd b. 'Al b. al-Husayn and Yahy b. Zayd who bravely
fought against Umayyid injustice and oppression? And from among his progeny such Imams
and leaders were born who never compromised with the oppressive powers, used every
opportunity to expose the real face of the tyrants, and were all killed as martyrs?
If the historians and analyzers of this historical event take into consideration all these facts
together in an integrated way and all the aspects, they will not accept the nave statements
and the opportunistic reports of those unfamiliar with the school of divine leadership
(Wilyat).
Thus, if Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) did not go along with the uprising of Medina, it has been
because:
Firstly, he had identified various goals and motives among the people of Medina all of which
were not religious.
Secondly, the Imam ('a) did not see the condition as appropriate for confronting the
Umayyid government and considered the revolt of the people of Medina as paving the way
for massive bloodshed and transgression upon the chastity of Muslim women. This was in
the same way as his noble father, Husayn ('a), left Medina during the night, it was because
he did not want his blood to be shed in the Sanctuary of the Holy Prophet (s) and so his
martyrdom took place in a situation that would convey the everlasting message to the
subsequent generation.
Thirdly, if he prevented people from uprising honestly and outrightly, it would so happen
that the people would take the Imam's words as a result of his past disappointment of
fighting against Yazd! Nevertheless, Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) practically showed the
people of Medina and those who were mindful of the Imam's viewpoints and obedient to
him that they should not get involved in this course of events.
Fourthly, the method of fighting adopted by the inhabitants of Medina against the Syrian
army was predicted to be inefficient; for, although in the battle of Ahzb, the Muslims
utilized a similar method and triumphed in the early stage, the circumstances had changed
over time. In the tragedy of Harrah, the people of Medina neither enjoyed the empathy and
coordination of the Prophet's (s) time, nor had a leader like the Prophet (s).
In addition to the above, the presence of the women and children in Medina had a very
important impact leading to the defeat of their uprising, as the combatants had to abandon
the battlefront and go back to town for the fear of the Syrians' invasion of their houses.
Thus, Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) had practically warned against this critical event and
demonstrated to the inhabitants by having his family and relatives taken away from Medina
and transferred to the region of Yanbu'1.
In conclusion, the position that Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) practically adopted was very well
calculated and in the light of the above-mentioned considerations, the most logical one,
since, in a short while, this reality was to be revealed to the inhabitants of Medina.
B. An Ideological Glance at Imam Zayn al-Abidns (a)

Position
What we said so far was merely a historical look based on human calculations that could be
noticed by any researcher and thinker; whereas, the interference or non-interference of
Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) in the process of Medinans' uprising has a religious perspective,
too, which is significant to the Shias and the believers in the spiritual status of the Imams
and the infallibility of the Ahl al-Bayt ('a).
In this view, the Imam is not a simple decision maker who takes actions according to his
personal information and experiences. Rather, he is committed to an obligation that God
has explicitly appointed him for and other people have to obey him, take his words and
actions as criteria for their beliefs and behavior, and do not seek precedence over him in
thought and practice.
From this perspective, Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) had acted according to a superhuman
obligation, and those of the Medinans, who due to their lack of belief in Wilyat and
Imamate (divine leadership of the Imams among Ahl al-Bayt - 'a) or for any other reasons
stepped into this uprising, suffered great loss.
Here, the question arises that whether the Medinans' uprising was rightful and their killed
ones can be regarded as martyrs, or their uprising had been a rebellion and revolt against
an Islamic ruler?
The Medina Uprising; a Right or Wrong

Movement?
The properness or improperness of a socio-political movement is examinable from various
aspects, and as long as the direction and the viewpoint of judgment are not specified, any
judgment will remain in ambiguity.
First, it is to be clarified that whether properness and improperness is meant to be
legitimacy or the lack of it, or whether it is meant to be well-timed, efficacious, or
ineffectual.
The Degree of Legitimacy of the Medina Uprising

The legitimacy of a social movement is dependent upon several factors including the
motivations, goals, methods, prevailing circumstances, and conditions.
What is obtained from the existing historical sources - and we already mentioned some
aspects of it in previous pages - is that the main and explicitly expressed motivation of the
pioneers in Medina movement has been a religious, reformist, and human one, as 'Abd
Allh b. Hanzala, the most distinguished figure among the leaders and commanders of the
uprising of Medina, would frequently talk about religious values while encouraging the
people to revolt and resist, and rejected Yazd as deserving to rule over Muslims because of
his vices, corruption, and incompetence.19
Medinans' efforts in preventing their properties from being taken to the Umayyid court in
Syria could have been rated as a means to express their overall dissatisfaction with the
Umayyid's rule, rather than an economic motivation to battle for. As a matter of fact,
whispers of dissatisfaction with the Yazd's Caliphate had begun long before this event; and
it was such expressions of discontent and turbulence that forced Yazd to replace the
governors of Medina one after another at very short intervals, so that in 61 A.H. (680 C.E.)
first Wald b. 'Utba was the governor, then 'Amr b. Sa'd took office, and after a very short
while 'Uthmn b. Muhammad b. Ab Sufyn, Yazd's cousin was appointed as Medina's
ruler.
All these indicated the incompetence of the Medina's sucessively appointed governors and
the unrest of the people of that city.
However, fighting tactics of Medinan combatants were not accompanied with crime and
betrayal, as they had the power to take hostage the governor of Medina, Marwn b. Hakam,
and the Umayyid's proxies and kill them in case of the invasion of Medina by the Syrian
army; but they did not do so and let all of them leave Medina on the condition, verbally
undertaken, that they would not help the enemy and will not guide the Syrian army into
Medina. (This indicated the presence of traitors among the combatants as well as weak
planning for the defence of Medina and its inhabitants.)
It is reported in some sources that the people of Medina expelled the Umayyid's cronies and
its members and their relatives from Medina and assaulted and battered them. Firstly,
these reports are not compatible with the Umayyid's taking an oath next to the Prophet's
(s) mausoleum, as taking an oath demanded a peaceful and sociable atmosphere.
Secondly, if we accept as true the report of expelling and battering, still it will never be
comparable to the slaughter and plunder that normally takes place during such events and
in addition its similarity to the Syrian army's cruel treatment of the inhabitants of Medina is
impossible and can never be made!
Something that remains to be researched and examined about the legitimacy of Medina
revolt is that whether the pioneers of this uprising had taken necessary measures for
preserving the Muslims' lives and honor or they left the sanctity of Medina, and the
Muslims' lives, properties, and families exposed to the plunders and aggressions by the
most malicious people and the most wicked army commanders of the Muslim history!
It seems that this had been Imam Zayn al-'Abidn's ('a) most important concern. He,
perhaps, didn't view the time, circumstances, and the battle style as appropriate and
foresaw its horrible outcomes. For this reason, as an Imam and a socio-religious leader, he
did not deem advisable for the Muslim community to openly step into this conflict.
But, that's how such men as 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala and others influential in the Medina
uprising had found the situation and circumstances to be, and whether they were guilty of
any negligence in their evaluations of the circumstances and the battle style, is something
not adequately dealt with in historical sources. We have no reason to scriutinize this issue,
as a tradition related from the Holy Prophet (s) says:
When the Prophet (s) left Medina in one of his journeys, upon reaching Harrat az-Zahra1
he stopped for a while and said: Indeed we belong to Allah and to Allah do we indeed
return. Hearing this from his holiness at the outset of a trip made people in his company
worried. 'Umar b. al-Khattb, from among those present, asked: O Messenger of Allah (s)!
What caused you to say this?
The Prophet (s) replied: 'My istirj' saying inn li-llh wa inn ilaihi rji'n Al-Qur'an, :2
156 is not because of this trip that we are about to start; rather, it is because the good ones
of my ummah after my companions will be killed in this stony land.'2
The words and slogans of 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala on one hand however this tradition on the
other hand indicates that the pioneers of the Medina revolt and the active combatants had
good intentions and right motivations and their move per se was not out of vain desires,
seeking power, or corruption, for if it were so, the Prophet (s) would not have called them
the good ones of my ummah.
The excellence and honor of those killed in the Medina uprising and their being rewarded by
God is unrelated to the fact that Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) as a spiritual figure who had
been certain about the uprising as being ineffectual or ill-fated would have felt obliged not
to participate in this revolt and practically impart to those who had comprehended his
wilyat (divine leadership) what their duty was.
After all, whether the uprising and movement of the Medinans has been regarded as
rightful and their killed ones as martyrs, there is an inalienable truth here as to the Yazd
and Syrian army's treatment of the Medinans to be an irreligious and inhumane treatment
and that no justification can be accepted for the plunder of the property and violating the
chastity of the Muslim women.
Even if the people of Medina had rebelled against a government, they had not rebelled
against an Islamic government that the Muslims had voted for or had been legally and
religiously legitimized. Rather, they had rebelled against someone who had been notorious
for his debauchery, cruelities and injustice and had governed on the back of people by force
of spears and threats, who had inherited throne from his father, who in turn had stayed in
power over Syria by rising against the central rule and the legal Caliphate of 'Al b. Ab Tlib
('a) and in fact had rebelled against the elected rule of the Muslim community, launched
military campaigns, and gained political stability through deceit and treachery!
It is not surprising that the Umayyids and their cronies, who like hungry and gluttonous
camels, had been recklessly devouring the vast poessesions and properties of the Muslim
world at the expanse of the public treasury, would evidently consider any voice of protest
and dissidence as rebellion against the Muslims' Caliph and take it as tantamount to
apostasy and viewing it as absolutely lawful to shed the dissidents' blood, take away by
force or plunder their property, and violate the chastity of their women!
1. Name of a region, a mile away from the Mosque of the Prophet (s), where the Jews of
Medina lived (Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 64). It is possibly the same region from
where the Syrian army penetrated into Medina. As Wqid has related from Ibn Abbs,
when the Prophet (s) arrived in the Ban Abd al-Ashhal, he pointed to Harrah and uttered
the above statement.
2. The phrase after my companions may refer to spiritual status of those who were killed
in the uprising of Medina, or may point to the fact that they were one generation after
prophets companions.
Tribes that Actively Participated in the

Medina Uprising
The names of several tribes residing in Medina and the number of people belonging to
those tribes who were killed in the uprising have been recorded in the historical sources.
The great number and variety of these clans and tribes suggests widespread dissatisfaction
and anger of the Medinans with Yazd's rule.
Historians have, with great effort recorded detailed lists of each of these clans and tribes as
well as their killed ones. On one hand, this indicates the importance of this horrific event in
the history of Islamic ummah and the deep wounds it inflicted behind that the historians
have attempted to pay off their debt to the Islamic ummah by accurately recording minute
details. On the other hand, it indicates that the recorded numbers and figures of the losses
and damages inflicted as result of the uprising of the Medinans and the invasion of Syrian
army over them are not exaggerated but accurate and realistic.
Some of the clans and tribes that had the greatest number of dead are as follows:
Quraysh, Ban Hshim and their confederates, ten killed
'Abd Manf clan and their confederates, eleven killed
Ban Qusayy clan and their confederates, nineteen killed
Ban Zuhra and his confederates, nineteen killed
'Udayy b. Ka'b and his confederates, thirteen killed
Bani Fahr and his confederates, twenty four killed
'Abd Allh b. Hanzala and seven of his children killed
Ban Mu'wiyah b. Mlik, twelve killed
Ban Najjr, fifty three killed
Ban Khazraj, twenty killed
Some historical sources have recorded the number of Ansr's killed to be 137 and the total
number killed of the Ansr and Quraysh to be 360. Besides the above-mentioned clans, a
number of other clans and tribes have been recorded that are too many to mention here
and the names mentioned below will suffice as typical sample, while referring the
researchers to the historical sources for further study.1
1. See: Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 46; Zubayr, Musab, Nasab-i Quraysh, p. 88; Masd,
Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 70; Nuwayr, Nahyat al-Irab, vol. 6, p. 227; Zirkl, Al-Alm, vol.
5, p. 355; Ibn Khayyt, Tarkh, p. 293-314.
Those Who were Executed

After dominating over the people of Medina, Muslim b. 'Uqba summoned some of the more
influential and well-known figures of Medina and sentenced them to death upon special
hearings.
These hearings are unique in early Islamic history as Muslim b. 'Uqba being the conquerer
and aggressor, wanted the ones whom he had summoned to swear allegiance to him as the
slaves and servants of Yazd!1145
The more well-known figures executed in this tragic event include: Ab Bakr b. 'Abd Allh
Ja'far b. Ab Tlib2; two sons of Zaynab, daughter of Umm Salama3; Ab Bakr b. 'Ubayd
Allh b. 'Abd Allh b. 'Umar b. al-Khattb4; Ma'qal b. Sann (One of the Prophet's (s)
standard bearer in the conquest of Mecca)5; Fadl b. 'Abbs b. Rab'a b. Hrith b. 'Abd alMuttalib33; Ab Sa'd Khudr (a companion of the Prophet (s) who was in the Prophet's
company in twelve expeditions)6; 'Abd Allh b. Mut'7 (a commander of the Medinans who
escaped that event, joined Ibn Zubayr, and executed by Hajjj).
Apart from these, there were several other people who were killed under the pretext of
accompanying or helping the people of Medina and their names too are recorded in
historical sources.8152
Partial list of the names of males killed in the Tragedy

of Harrah
It is obvious that the actual number of the people who were killed in the tragedy of Harrah
is definitely far more than what is mentioned in the history books. What follows below is the
list of names of those killed that is reported by historians. In addition, the list doesn't
include the names of the dead females and children, which was higher than those of males
killed in this tragedy.
Khalfa b. Khayyt has listed the names of those killed in the Harrah tragedy as follows:
From the Quraysh and Ban Hshim

1.
2.
3.
4.
Ab Bakr b. 'Abd Allh b. Ja'far b. Ab Tlib (who was among the executed).
Fadl b. 'Abbs b. Hrith b. 'Abd al-Muttalib.
'Abd Allh b. Nawfil b. Harith b. 'Abd al-Muttalib.
'Abbs b. 'Utba b. Ab Lahab.9153
Ab Tlib's Allies from the Ban Sulaim b. Mansr Clan

1. Sulaymn b. Safwn b. 'Abbd b. Shaybn.
2. Aswad b. 'Abbd b. Shaybn.
3. 'Utba b. Ma'bad, or Ma'bad b. 'Utba b. Shaybn.
4. Muhammad b. 'Uqba b. Dubayh b. Jbir.
5. And his brother Sulaym (or Sulaymn)
6. Jurayy b. Hazm b. Jbir.
From the Sons of Muttalib b. Abd Manf

1.
2.
Yahy b. Nfi' b. 'Ajr b. Yazd b. Hshim from Ban Muttalib.

'Abd Allh b. Nfi' b. 'Ajr.
From the Allies of Muttalib's Sons from Ban Sulaym

Tribe
1.
Ja'far b. 'Abd Allh b. Mlik.
From the Sons of Nawfil b. Abd Manf

1. Dwd b. Wald b. Qarza b. 'Abd 'Amr b. Nawfil.
2. And his son, Wald b. Dwd.
3. 'Ubayd Allh b. 'Utba b. Ghazwn who was among their allies from Mzin b. Mansr's
tribe.
From Ban Umayyah b. Shams b. Abd Manf

1.
2.
3.
Ism'l b. Khlid b. 'Uqba b. Ab Mu't

Ab 'Uly Mawl (slave) Marwn b. Hakam.
Sulaymn
4.
5.
'Amr and
Wald, sons of Yazd b. Ukht al-Namir
From the sons of Asad b. Abd al-Uzz b. Qusayy

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Wahab b. 'Abd Allh b. Zam'at b. Aswad b. Muttalib b. Asd b. 'Abd al-'Uzz.

Yazd b. 'Abd Allh b. Zam'a (who was executed).
Ab Salama b. 'Abd Allh b. Zama'a.
Miqdd b. Wahb b. Zama'a.
Yazd b. 'Abd Allh b. Wahb b. Zama'a.
Khlid b. 'Abd Allh b. Zama'a.
And one 'Abd Allh b. Zama'a's sons, whose real name was not known.
Mughayra b. 'Abd Allh b. S'ib b. Ab Hubayth b. Muttalib b. Asad.
'Abd Allh b. Nawfil b. 'Adayy b. Nawfil b. Asad.
'Amr b. Nawfil b. 'Adayy b. Nawfil b. Asad.
Sar b. 'Abd al-Rahm b. 'Abd Allh b. Ab Dhu'ayb b. 'Adayy b. Nawfil b. Asad.
'Adayy b. Tuwait b. Habb b. Asad.
From their Allies

1.
2.
'Abd Allh b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Htib b. Ab Bulta'a from Namir al-Azd (tribe).
Usma b. Khiyr.
From the Sons of Abd al-Dr b. Qusayy

1. 'Abd Allh b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Musfi' b. Talha b. Ab Talha, whose name has been
'Abd Allh b. 'Abd al-'Uzz b. 'Uthmn b. 'Abd al-Dr.
2. Muhammad b. Ayyb b. Thbit b. 'Abd al-Mundhir b. Alqa b. Kalada.
3. Mus'ab b. Ab 'Umayr b. Ab 'Azz b. 'Umayr.
4. Yazd b. Musfi' b. Talha.
5. Zayd b. Musfi' b. Talha.
6. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'Amr b. Aswad.
From Ban Zuhra

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Zayd b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'Awf.

Abn b. 'Abd Allh b. 'Awf.
'Ayd b. Hasan b. Awf, who was killed in Ibn Zubayr sedition.10154
Muhammad b. Aswad b. 'Awf.
Salt b. Makhramat b. Nawfil b. Wuhayb b. 'Abd Manf b. Zuhra.
Muhammad b. Miswar b. Makhrama.
'Abd Allh b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Aswad b. 'Abd Yaghth.
Ism'l b. Wuhayb b. Aswad b. 'Abd Yaghth.
'Umayr b. Sa'd b. Ab Waqqss
'Amr b. Sa'd b. Ab Waqqss.
Ishq b. Hshim b. 'Utba b. Ab Waqqss.
'Imrn b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Nfi' b. 'Utba b. Ab Waqqss.
Muhammad b. Nfi' b. b. 'Utba b. Ab Waqqss.
From Ban Zuhra Allies

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
'Uthmn b. 'Al' b. Jriyya b. Thaqf.

Uljuls b. 'Al' b. Jriyya b. Thaqf.
Muhammad b. 'Al' b. Jriyya b. Thaqf.
Ab 'Abd Allh b. Mawhib b. Rabh.
'Abd Allh b. Bishr b. S'ib.
'Ubayd Allh b. Bishr b. S'ib.
From Taym b. Murra's Sons

1.
2.
3.
4.
Ya'qb b. Talha b. 'Ubayd Allh (he was among the executed).

'Ubayd Allh b. 'Uthmn b. 'Ubayd Allh b. 'Uthmn b. 'Amr b. Ka'b.
'Abd Allh b. Muhammad b. Ab Bakr.
Ma'bad b. Hrith b. Khlid b. Sakhr b. 'mir b. 'Amr b. Ka'b.11155
From their Allies

1. Ms b. Hrith b. Tufayl from Daws tribe. Some have said that he was from the Azd
tribe. He was a maternal brother to ''isha and 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Ab Bakr.
2. Hrith b. Manqadh b. Tufayl, and Tufayl Ab al-Husayn is a maternal brother to 'Atq's
son.
3. 'Ammra b. Suhayb.
4. Mus'ab, and
5. Khlid, sons of Muhammad b. Suhayb.
From Ban Makhzm

1. 'Abd Allh b. Ab 'Amr b. Hafs b. Mughayra.
2. Ab Sa'd b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Hrith b. Hishm whose mother was from the Hrith b.
Ka'b tribe.
3. 'Abd Allh b. Hrith b. 'Abd Allh b. Ab Rab'a
4. Muslim (or Maslama) b. Ab Burd b. Ma'bad b. Wahb b. ''idh.
From the Children of Ad b. Kab

1. Ab Bakr b. 'Ubayd Allh b. 'Umar b. al-Khattb he was named among the executed.
2. 'Abd Allh, and
3. Sulaymn, sons of 'sim b. 'Umar b. al-Khattb.
4. 'Umar or 'Amr b. Sa'd b. Zayd b. 'Amr b. Nufayl.
5. Ab Bakr b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Sa'd b. Zayd b. 'Amr b. Nufayl.
6. Muhammad b. Sulaymn b. Mut' b. Aswad b. Hritha b. Nadla b. 'Awf b. 'Ubayd b.
'Awj.
7. 'Abd al-Malik b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Mut'.
8. 'Abd Allh b. Nfi' b. 'Abd 'Amr b. 'Abd Allh b. Mut'
9. Ibrhm b. Nu'aym b. 'Abd Allh b. Nahhm. It is also recorded as: Ibrhm b. Nu'aym b.
'Abd Allh.
10.
Muhammad b. Ab al-Jahm b. Hudhayfa b. Ghnim (who was executed).
11.
Khudayj b. Hudayj b. Ab Hathma b. Hudhayfa b. Ghnim.
From their Allies

1.
2.
3.
Ays, and
Ya'l, sons of al-Sar.
Ysuf b. Habb, from Ban Layth tribe.
From the Sons of Sahm b. Amr b. Husays

1.
2.
3.
4.
Dhu'ayb b. 'Amr b. Hunayth b. Hudhayfa b. Sa'd b. Sahm.

Dhu'ayb's son.
Mayyh b. Khalaf or Khlid.
Fadla b. Mayyh, who were their allies.
From the Sons of Juma b. Umar

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
'Abd al-Malik b. Hutb.

Hrith b. Mu'ammar b. Habb b. Wahb b. Khudfat b. Jumah.
Khattb b. Hrith b. Htb.
'Amr b. Muhammad b. Htib.
Htib b. 'Amr b. Hrith b. Htib b. Hrith b. Ma'mar.
From their Allies

1.
2.
'Uthmn, or 'Amr b. Kathr b. Salt.

Nu'aym b. Lt, or Lt b. Nu'aym b. Salt b. Kind.
From the Sons of mir b. Luayy

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
'Abd al-Rahmn b. Huwaytab b. 'Abd al-'Uzz.

'Abd al-Malik b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Huwaytab.
Rab'at b. Sahm or Sahl b. 'Abd Allh b. Zama'a.
'Abd al-Rahmn b. Zama'at b. Qayth.
'Amr b. 'Abd Allh b. Zama'a.
'Abd Allh b. 'Abd Allh b. Zama'a.
'Abd Allh b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'Amr b. Htib.
Salt b. 'Abd Allh b. 'Amr b. Hshim.
Hshim b. amza.
Hishm b. 'Abd al-Aswad b. Hshim b. Kanna.
Hishm b. 'Abd Allh b. Kanna.
Rab'a, and
Kanna, sons of Hshim b. Kanna b. Hisn.
Khiyr b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Khiyr.
Ab Sulaymn b. 'Abd Allh b. Khiyr.
Sulaymn b. Uways b. Sa'd b. Ab Sarh.
Ab 'Amr b. 'Abd Allh b. 'Amr b. Uways.
Hrith b. 'Abd Allh b. Kanna.
Ab Qays b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'Ad b. Ukht, from the Ban Ma's tribe.
From the Sons Hujayz or Hajar b. Mas

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Fadla b. Khlid b. N'ila b. Rawha.12156

'Ayd b. Khlid b. N'ila b. Hurmuz or Harim b. Rawha.
Hrith.
Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Tufayl.
'Ayd b. Ab Sallm b. Yazd b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Mlik b. Rab't b. Wahab.
Zayd, or Yazd b. 'Abd Allh b. Masfih b. Anas b. 'Abd b. Wahab b. Dibb.
From the Sons of Hrith b. Fihr

1.
2.
3.
4.
Su'ayb b. Ab 'Abd Allh.

Murds b. 'Awf.
Ibrhm b. Isr'l.
Mus'ab b. 'Abd Allh b. Khaythama.
From Ban Qays b. Hrith b. Fihr

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Zufr b. Hrith, or Ibn Suwayd.

A son of Mlik b. Suwayd.
'Aql b. Zufr.
Rab'a b. Ziyd.
Uththa, and
'Al, sons of Shayba.
Zuhayr b. 'Abd Allh.
Ziyd b. Ab Umayya.13157
From Ban Muhrib b. Fihr

1. 'Abd al-Rahmn,
2. 'Abd Allh, and
3. Qatan, sons of Nufayl b. 'Abd Allh b. Wahb b. Sa'd b. 'Amr b. Habb b. 'Amr b. Shaybn
or Shayba b. Muhrib.14158
4. 'Abd Allh b. Nadla b. 'Abd Allh b. Wahb.
5. Shard b. Rabh b. 'Amr b. Mughtarif b. Hajwn b. 'Amr b. Habb.
6. Abn b. Hisl, or Ibn Hassn b. Rabh b. 'Amr.
7. 'Amr b. Hassn b. Rabh
8. Wald b. 'Isma.
9. 'Al' b. Yazd b. Anas b. 'Abd Allh b. Hajwn.
10. Habb b. Mudarris.
11. Wald b. Hamama b. 'Abd Allh b. Hajwn.
12. Khaytham b. Nfi' b. Mudarris.
Thus, those who were killed from among the Quraysh were 97.
Those who were killed from among the Ansr, from

Ban Awf
1.
2.
'Abd Allh b. Hanzala15

Eight of 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala's sons (some of them are: 'Abd al-Rahmn, Hrith,
Hakam, and 'sim.)

3. Yahy
4. And 'Abd Allh, sons of Majma'.
5. 'Abas 's b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Yazd.
6. 'Uksha b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Yazd b. Jriyya16.
7. 'Amr b. Suwayd b. 'Uqba b. 'Uwaym b. S'ida.
8. Ab al-'Ayl b. 'Uqba b. 'Uwaym b. S'ida.
From Ban Hanash b. Awf b. Amr b. Awf

1.
2.
3.
4.
Sahl b. 'Uthmn b. Hunayf.

'Amr b. Sahl.
Muhammad b. 'Uthmn b. Hunayf.
Habb b. 'Abbd b. Hanf.
From Ban Thalaba

1.
2.
Habb.
'Umar or 'Amr, sons of Khawwt.
From Ban Jahjab b. Kulfa

1.
2.
3.
4.
'Ayd b. 'Amr b. Bulayl.

'Amr b. 'Amr b. Bulayl.
'Amr b. 'Utba b. 'Utwra.
Dhakwn (Mawl b. Hanzala)17
From Ban al-Ujln

1.
2.
'Umra or 'Ummr b. Salama.

'Abd al-Rahmn b. Hrith b. Salama.
From Ban Muwiyah b. Mlik

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Muhammad b. Bashr.
'Abd Allh b. Kulayb b. 'Ubayd who was injured in battle and died soon afterwards.
Muhammad, and
'Utaba or 'Ubayd, sons of Jubayr.
'Abd Allh ('Ubayd Allh), and
'Al', sons of Thbit.
S'ib b. 'Abd Allh.
Tha'laba, and
'mir, sons of Hrith b. Tha'laba.
Sa'd b. 'Abd Allh.
'Abd Allh b. Hazm b. 'Amr b. Umayya.
'Utba b. Ash'ath b. Ka'b.
From Ban Abd al-Ashhal

1.
'Abd Allh b. Sa'd b. Mu'dh.
2.
Muhammad b. Bashr b. Mu'dh.
From Ban Zuwar

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
'Amr b. Yazd b. Sakan.

'Abbd b. Rshid b. Rfi' b. Qays.
Ms b. 'Abd Allh.
Ja'far b. Tha'laba.
Salama or Muslima b. 'Ibd b. Salkn.
'Ibd b. Salkn b. Salma b. Qays.
Shayba b. 'Abd al-'Azz.
From Nabt Tribe

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sa'd b. Jubayr.
'Abd Allh b. Sa'd.
'Abbd,
S'ida, and
Ab Jubayra, sons of Sa'd.
From Ban Hritha b. Hrith

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
'Abd Allh b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Sahl.

Kanna b. Sahl b. 'Abd Allh b. Aws b. Qayd.
'Abd Allh b. Uways.
Sahl b. Ab Amma who was from a following generation.
Ja'far b. Tha'laba b. Mahsa.
S'ida b. Asad b. S'ida.
Yazd b. Muhammad b. Salama.18162
From the Sons of Zufr

1.
2.
3.
4.
'Amr,
Muhammad, and
Yazd, sons of Thbit b. Qays b. Khatm.
Muhammad b. Ab Namla b. Zurra.
From the Khazrajs, then from Ban Mlik b. Najjr

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
'Amr b. Sa'd b. Hrith b. Sama.

Sa'd,
Sulaymn,
Zayd,
Yahy, and
'Ubayd Allh, sons of Zayd b. Thbit b. Dahhk.
Muhammad, and
Zayd, sons of 'Ummra b. Zayd b. Thbit b. Dahhk.
Muhammad b. 'Amr b. Hazm.
'Abd al-Rahmn,
'Uthmn, and
12.
'Abd al-Malik, sons of Muhammad b. 'Amr b. Hazm.
13.
'Abd Allh ('Ubayd Allh) and Jbir and Mu'wiyah, sons of 'Amr b. Hazm. It is
said that along with Muhammad b. 'Amr b. Hazm, thirteen of his family members were also
killed.
14.
'Al' b. 'Abd Allh b. Raqm b. Nadla.
15.
'Amr b. Mu'all b. 'Amr.
16.
'Al' b. 'Abd Allh b. Nu'ay b. Nadla.
17.
Mlik b. Mu'dh b. 'Amr b. Qays.
18.
Muhammad b. 'Abd Allh b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Sa'd b. Zurra.
19.
Qays b. Sa'd b. 'Amr b. Suhayl.
20.
'Abd al-Rahmn b. Ab al-Zand b. Ab al-Qurd b. Qays b. Qahd.
21.
Ibrhim b. Tamm b. Qays b. Qahd.
22.
'Abd al-Rahmn b. Sa'd.
23.
'Abd al-Rahmn b. Mu'dh.
24.
Khlid b. Safwn.
25.
Zayd b. Ab 'Amr b. Muhsin.
26.
Yahy b. 'Amr.
27.
Muhammad b. Abyy b. Ka'b.
28.
''idh b. Ab Qays b. Anas b. Qays.
29.
Anas b. Muhammad b. 'Abd Allh b. Ab Talha.
30.
'Amr b. 'Amr.
31.
Ism'l b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Hassn b. Thbit.
32.
Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Malik b. Nubayt.
33.
'mir b. 'Uqba.
34.
'Amra b. 'Amr b. Hazm.
35.
Qays b. Ab al-Wird b. Qahd.
From Ban Adyy b. Najjr

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Bakr b. 'Abd Allh b. Qays b. Sarma.

Mlik b. Sawd (Sadd) b. Ghaziyya.
'Awn b. Rif'a.
'Amr b. 'Abd Allh.
Hrith b. Sharqa.
'Abd Allh, and
Yahy, sons of Anas b. Mlik.
From Ban Dnr b. Najjr

1.
Sa'd b. 'Umayr b. Uhayb.
From Ban Mzin b. Najjr

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
'Amr b. Tamm b. Ghaziyya.

Na'mn b. 'Amr b. Sa'd b. 'Amr b. Ghaziyya.
Sa'd, and
Ja'far, sons of Ab Dwd b. 'Umayr b. Mlik.
'Abd Allh b. Zayd b. 'sim.
Ab Hasan, 'Abd Allh's son.
'Abd Allh b. Hrith b. 'Abd Allh b Ka'b.
8. His brothers: 'Abd al-Rahmn, and Qays and 'Amr b. Ab Hasan.

9. 'Utba b. Ab Jarr.
10.
Hakm b. Ab Quhfa.
From Harith b. Khazraj

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
'Abd al-Rahmn b. Khubayb b. Isf.

Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Khlid b. Isf.
Muhammad, and
'Abd Allh, and 'Abd Allh, sons of Khlid b. Isf.
'Ubayd Allh b. Anas b. Sakan b. Isf.
Sa'd b. Kalb (Kalb) b. Shamms.
Muhammad,
Yahy, and
'Abd Allh, sons of Thbit b. Qiys b. Shamms
Ab Nu'aym b. Ab Fadla b. Thbit.
Labb b. Busr b. Zayd.
'Abd Allh b. 'Utba b. Simk.
'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'Abd Allh b. Husayn.
'Abd Allh b. Rab' b. Surqa.
S'ib b. 'Abd Allh b. Tha'laba.
Sa'd b. 'Ubayd Allh.
'Abd Allh b. Hasan.
'Umar (b. 'Umar) b. Umayyah.
'Utba b. Ash'ath b. Ka'b from the Zarqayn tribe.
From Ban Awf b. Khazraj

1.
'Abd Allh b. Rab'a b. Bill (Hill)
From Ban Slim b. Awf

1.
2.
3.
4.
Nawfil b. Muhammad b. 'Abbda b. Smit.

Muhammad b. Ka'b b. 'Ujra. and his brother,
Sa'd b. Ka'b.
Thbit b. 'Abd Allh b. Ays.
From Ban Salima

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Mu'dh b. al-Samma.
Ayyb b. 'Abd Allh b. Mu'dh.
'Amr b. Khashram.
'Abd al-Rahmn b. Ab Qatda b. Rib'.
Yazd b. Ab al-Yasr.
Yahy b. Saif b. Aswad b. Wahab b. Ka'b b. Mlik.
Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Ab al-Mundhar.
From Ban Bayda

1.
'Abd Allh b. Ziyd b. Labd.
From Ban Zurayq

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
'Urwa b. Ab 'Ummra.
'Uthmn b. 'Urwa (his son).
'Uqba b. Ab 'Ummra. and his brother
Mas'd.
Sa'd b. 'Uthmn b. Khalda.
Salma b. Qays b. Thbit b. Khalda.
'mir b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'Amr.
Matlab b. 'mir b. 'Amr b. Khalda.
Hrith b. Rif'a b. Rfi' b. Mlik.
Sulaymn b. Ab 'Aysh b. Mu'wiyah b. Smit.
From l-i Muall

1. Sa'd b. Ab Sa'd b. Aws b. Mu'all.
2. Sahl b. Ab Sa'd.
3. Hrith b. 'Uqba b. 'Ubayd b. Mu'all.
4. Muhammad b. 'Amr b. Qays.
5. Kathr b. Aflah b. Mawl Ab Ayyb Ansr.
Thus, those reported to be killed from among the Ansr were 137 and the total number of
the killed from Ansr and Quraysh was 360 men. Those who were executed included:
1. Ma'qil b. Sann Ashja'.
2. Muhammad b. Ab Hudhayfa-yi 'Adw.
3. Muhammad b. Ab Jahm b. Hudhayfa.19163
In other sources, the names of the killed are randomly mentioned. Ibn Sa'd has
miscellaneously listed the names of those killed in the tragedy of Harrah that we have
collected here and presented to the respected readers.
Abd Allh b. Hanzala

'Abd Allh b. Hanzala b. al-Ghasl b. Ab 'mir b. Rhib - 'Abd 'Amr b. Sayf b. Nu'mn b.
Mlik b. Amat b. Dubay'at b. Zayd b. Mlik b. 'Awf b. 'Amr b. 'Awf b. Mlik b. Aws20 - was
the commander-in-chief of the Medinan forces. He was among the dignitaries of Tbi'n
(successors of the Prophet's companions)21 and one of the few warriors who was famous
for his gallantry.22 His mother's name was Jamla - daughter of 'Abd Allh b. Ubayy b.
Salll. The reason why 'Abd Allh's father was called Ghasl al-Mal'ika is that Hanzala
decided to participate in the battle of Uhud. Their marriage took place 32 months after Hijra
and the early morning after he consummated his marriage with his wife, Hanzala had to
participate in the battle of Uhud and he was martyred on the same day without anytime to
perform obligatory ritual ablution. According to Prophet (s), the angels gave him ritual
ablution (ghusl).23 For this reason, Hanzala was known as Ghasl al-Mal'ika. Jamla gave
birth to 'Abd Allh nine months after the martyrdom of Hanzala and 'Abd Allh was seven
years old at the time of the Prophet's (s) demise.46 He had met the Prophet (s) and
narrated traditions from His Holiness.24 He was killed as a martyr along with eight of his
children due to the sword stroke of one of the Syrian soldiers21 and thus the life of this
noble man and eminent companion of the Prophet (s) came to an end.
Muhammad b. Amr b. Hazm

Muhammad b. 'Amr b. Hazm b. Lawdhn b. 'Amr b. Awf b. Ghanm b. Mlik b. Najjr was
nicknamed as Ab 'Abd al-Malik. His mother, 'Amra, was the daughter of 'Abd Allh b.
Hrith b. Jammz from Ban Hubla who was among the allies of Ban S'id.25 He was born
in a place called Najrn in the 10th year after Hijra.26 His father had been appointed as the
governor of that place. Muhammad b. 'Amr b. Hazm was among the nobles of tbi'n.27 He
was a dignified man from whom some traditions have been narrated. On the day of Harrah,
he said prayers while he was seriously injured. He was finally martyred in the battle of
Harrah in 63 A.H. (682 C.E.). In Medina and Baghdad some of his descendents had survived.
Muhammad b. Ubayy
Muhammad b. Ubayy b. Ka'b b. Qays b. 'Ubayd b. Mu'wiyah b. 'Amr b. Mlik b. Najjr was
nicknamed as Ab Ma'dh. He was born in the time of the Prophet (s). His mother, Umm alTufayl, was the daughter of Tufayl b. 'Amr b. Mundhar b. Subay' b. 'Abd Nuham from Daws
tribe. He was an eminent scholar of hadth and a few traditions have also been transmitted
from him. He was killed in the battle of Harrah in 63 A.H. (682 C.E.)28172
Suwayd b. Uwaym
The mother of Suwayd b. 'Uwaym b. S'idat b. ''ish b. Qays b. Nu'mn b. Yazd b. Umayyah
Umma, was the daughter of Bukayr b. Tha'laba, a descendant of Ban Ghadab b. Jushm b.
Jazraj. He was killed on the day of Harrah in 63 A.H. (682 C.E.)29173
Ayyb b. Bashr
Ayyb b. Bashr b. Sa'd b. Nu'mn b. Akkl b. Lawdhn b. Hrith b. Umayyah b. Mu'wiyah
b. Mlik b. 'Awf b. 'Amr b. 'Awf, was from the Ansrs and from the Khazraj tribe. His
nickname was Ab Sulaymn. He was born in the time of the Prophet (s). He participated in
the battle of Harrah and received many injuries, and after two years died of the injuries at
the age of 75.30174
Ubbd and Thbit, Sons of Tamm

'Ubbd and Thbit, sons of Tamm b. Ghaziyat b. 'Amr b. 'Atiya b. Khans' b. Mabdhl b.
'Amr b. Ghanam b. Mzin b. Najjr, was killed on the day of Harrah.31175
Muhammad b. Thbit
Muhammad b. Thbit b. Qays b. Shamms b. Mlik b. 'Amr b. Mlik al-Asghar b. Tha'laba b.
Ka'b b. Khazraj b. Hrith b. Khazraj12, 'Abd Allh b. Hanzala's maternal brother.32176
Sons of Muhammad
Muhammad had three sons named 'Abd Allh, Sulaymn, and Yahy who were killed on the
day of Harrah.33177
s b. Abd al-Rahmn
'Is b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Yazd b. Jriya b. 'mir b. Majma' b. 'Atf b. Dab'at b. Zayd b.
Mlik b. 'Awf b. 'Amr b. 'Awf from the Aws tribe was killed on the day of Harrah.34178
Aflah
Aflah, Ab Ayyb Ansr's slave, was nicknamed as Ab Kathr and according to some Ab
Abd al-Rahmn. He was a captive of 'Ayn al-Tamr35 that was conquered by Khlid b. Wald
in the time of Ab Bakr's Calliphate. He was a trustworthy man who was killed on the day of
Harrah.36180
Amr b. Sad
'Amr b. Sa'd b. Ab Waqqs b. Uhayb b. 'Abd Manf b. Zuhra's mother was Sulam, daughter
of Hasfa b. Thaqaf b. Rab'a b. Taym al-Lt b. Tha'laba b. 'Ukba from Rab'a tribe, who was
killed on the day of Harrah in Dhu'l Hijja, in 63 A.H.37181
Umayr b. Sad
'Umayr b. Sa'd and 'Amr b. Sa'd's brother were of the same mother. These two brothers
were killed on the day of Harrah.38182
Ibrhm b. Nuaym
Ibrhm b. Nu'aym b. Nahm b. 'Abd Allh b. Asd b. 'Abd 'Awf b. 'Ubayd b. 'Uwayj 'Adyy b.
Ka'b was one of the commanders on the day of Harrah and was killed on the same
day.39183
Muhammad b. Ab al-Jahm
Muhammad b. Na'm b. Ab al-Jahm b. Ghnim b. 'mir b. 'Abd Allh b. 'Ubayd b. 'Uwayj b.
'Ad b. Ka'b's mother, Khawla, was Qa'q' b. Ma'bad's daughter from Ban Tamm tribe. He
was one of the commanders on the day of Harrah and was killed on the same day.40
Abd al-Rahmn b. Huytab

'Abd al-Rahmn b. Hutyab b. 'Abd al-'Uzz b. Ab Qays b. 'Abd Wadd b. Nasr b. Mlik b. Hisl
b. 'mir b. Lu'ayy's mother, Ansa, was Hafs b. Ahnaf from Ban 'mir b. Luwayy's tribe. 'Abd
al-Rahmn was killed on the day of Harrah in Dhu'l Hijja, in 63 A.H.41
Jafar b. Abd Allh

Ja'far b. 'Abd Allh b. Buhayna was killed on the day of Harrah.42 Buhayna, Umm 'Abd
Allh, was Arat's daughter.
Abd Allh b. Utba

'Abd Allh b. 'Utba b. Ghazwn b. Jbir b. Nasb b. Wuhayb b. Zayd b. Mlik b. 'Abd 'Awf b.
Hrith b. Mzin b. Mansr b. 'Ikrama b. Hasafa b. 'Ayln b. Mudar, was killed on the day of
Harrah.43187
Abd Allh b. Muhammad

'Abd Allh b. Muhammad b. Ab Bakr, was a slave girl named Sda. 'Abd Allh was killed on
the day of Harrah.44188
Ab Sad b. Abd al-Rahmn

'Ab Sa'd b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Hrith b. Hishm b. Mughayra's mother, Umm Rasan, was
the daughter of Hrith b. 'Abd Allh b. Husayn from the Ban Hrith b. Ka'b tribe. Ab Sa'd
was killed on the day of Harrah.45
Umra b. Suhayb
'Umra b. Suhab b. Sann b. Mlik, was killed on the day of Harrah.49
Abd Allh b. Abd al-Rahmn

'Abd Allh b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Htib b. Ab Balta'a, was killed on the day of Harrah.49
Abbd b. Ab Nila
'Abbd b. Ab N'ila, Silkn b. Salma b. Waqsh b. Zughba b. Zaghwar' b. 'Abd al-Ashhal
and his son Salama, were killed on the day of Harrah.49 'Abbd's mother, Sahl, Raw Waqsh
daughter was from Ban Ashhal.
Zayd b. Muhammad
Zayd b. Muhammad b. Maslama b. Khlid b. Adyy b. Mujda'a b. Hrith b. Khazraj b. 'Amr
was from the Aws tribe and his mother was a slave girl. He was killed as martyr on the day
of Harrah after having 14 sword wounds with four of the wounds on his face.46190
Jafar b. Yazd
Ja'far b. Yazd b. Silkn b. Salma b. Waqsh was killed on the day of Harrah.47191
Thbit's Children
'Amr and Muhammad and Yazd b. Qays b. Khatm b. Adyy b. Zufr and Ka'b b. Khazraj b.
'Amr who were from the Aws tribe. Their mother, Umm Habb, was the daughter of Qays b.
Zayd b. 'mir b. Sawd b. Zufr and all were killed on the day of Harrah in 63 A.H.48192
Khawwt's Children
Habb b. Khawwt b. Jubayr b. Nu'mn b. Umayyah b. Amr al-Qays was killed on the day of
Harrah. His mother was from the Fuqaym Ban Tha'laba tribe. His brother 'Amr b. Khawwt
was also killed on the day of Harrah. His mother's name is not historically specified.
Children of Mujammi
Yahy b. Jriya b. 'mir b. Mujammi' b. 'Attf b. Dubay'a b. Zayd b. Mlik b. 'Awf b. 'Amr b.
'Awf, from the Aws tribe was killed on the day of Harrah. His mother, Sulam, was the
daughter of Thbit b. Dahdha from the Balayy Qud'a. 'Ubayd Allh b. Mujamma', Yahy's
maternal brother, was also killed in the battle of Harrah.49193
Muhammad b. Jabr
Muhammad b. Jabr b. 'Atk b. Qays b. Haysha b. Hrith b. Umayyah b. Mu'wiyyah b. Mlik
b. 'Awf b. 'Amr b. 'Awf from the Aws tribe was killed on the day of Harrah.50194194
Abbd b. sim
'Abbd b. 'sim b. 'Ad b. Jadd b. 'Ajln was from one of Qud'a tribes and was killed on the
day of Harrah. They were from among the allies Ban 'Amr b 'Awf from Aws tribe.51
Children of Zayd
Seven of Zayd's children were killed in the battle of Harrah:
Sa'd b. Zayd b. Thbit b. Dahhk b. Zayd b. Lawdhn b. 'Amr b. 'Abd b. 'Awf b. Mlik b.
Najjr. His mother, Umm Sa'd, was the daughter of Sa'd b. Rab', from the Bulhrith b.
Khazraj tribe. Sa'd was killed on the day of Harrah. His brother Sulaymn b. Zayd was also
killed on the day of Harrah. His other brother, Yahy b. Zayd was also killed then. These
brothers were all from the same brother. Salt b. Zayd, 'Abd al-Rahmn b. Zayd and 'Abd
Allah b. Zayd, whose mother was a slave girl, and also Zayd b. Zayd were killed on the day
of Harrah.51195
Umrah b. Aqaba
'Umrah b. 'Uqba b. Kudaym b. 'Adyy b. Hritha b. 'Amr b. Zayd Mant b. 'Adyy b. 'Amr b.
Mlik b. Najjr, whose mother was a slave girl, was killed on the day of Harrah.52196
Sons of Nubayt
Muhammad b. Nubayt b. Jbir b. Mlik b. 'Ad b. Zayd b. Mant b. 'Ad b. 'Amr b. Mlik b.
Najjr and his brother, 'Abd al-Malik b. Nubayt, were killed on the day of Harrah.53
Muhammad b. Nubayt's mother, Furay'a, daughter of Ab Amma, As'ad b. Zarra was from
Ban Najjr.
Abd al-Rahmn b. Abd Allh

'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'Abd Allh b. Khubayb b. Yasf b. 'Inabat b. 'Amr b. Khudayj b. 'mir b.
Jusham b. Hrith b. Khazraj was killed on the day of Harrah.54 His mother was 'Awna,
daughter (of Ab Mas'd 'Uqba b. 'Amr) from Ban Jidra.
Abd al-Rahmn b. Ab Qutda

'Abd al-Rahmn b. Ab Qatdat b. Rab' b. Baldhama was killed on the day of Harrah.55 His
mother, Sulfa, was daughter of Bar' b. Ma'rr from Ban Salma tribe.
Yazd b. Ab al-Yasar
Yazd b. Ab al-Yasar (Ka'b b. 'Amr b. 'Abbd b. 'Amr b. Sawd) from Ban Salma was from
Khazraj tribe. He was killed on the day of Harrah.56
Children of Ab Ayysh
Sulaymn b. Ab 'Ayysh b. 'Ubayd b. Mu'wiyah b. Smit, whose mother was a slave girl,
was killed on the day of Harrah. His brother, Bashr b. Ab 'Ayysh was also killed and no
one of their generation survived.57201201
Childen of Ab Ubda
From among his children, three were killed on the day of Harrah:
Qurwa b. Ab 'Ubda b. Sa'd b. 'Uthmn b. Khalda b. Mukhallad b. 'mir b. Wurayq. His
mother, Umm Khlid, was 'Amr b. Wadhfa from the Khazraj tribe.
'Uthmn, Farwah's son was also killed in the battle of Harrah. Sa'd b. 'Uthmn was from
among the fighters of Badr.
'Uqba b. Ab 'Ubda b. Sa'd b. 'Uthmn, whose mother was a slave girl, was also killed on
the day of Harrah.52
Mas'd b. 'Ubda
Mas'd b. 'Ubda b. Ab 'Ubda, Sa'd b. 'Uthmn b. Khalda, whose mother was a slave girl,
Children of Ka'b
Ishq b. Ka'b b. 'Ujra b. Umayyah b. 'Ad b. Hrith was killed on the day of Harrah. His
brother, Muhammad b. Ka'b, was also killed on the day of Harrah.59
Dhakwn
Ab 'Amr, was a slave of ''isha - Prophet's (s) wife - who was freed after the demise of
''isha. He was killed on the day of Harrah.60204
Kathr b. Aflah
Kathr b. Aflah was Ab Ayyb Ansr's slave who was killed on the day of Harrah.61 He was
one of the scribes when 'Uthmn had new copies of the Qur'an written.62206
Bashr b. Ab Zayd
Bashr b. Ab Zayd was killed on the day of Harrah. His descendents lived in Basra.63207
Yazd b. Hurmuz
Yazd b. Hurmuz Frs - Mawl al-Dawsyn - was the commander of the slaves on the day of
Harrah. He was a trustworthy person who was killed on the day of Harrah.64208
Wahab b. Abd Allh

Wahab b. 'Abd Allh b. Zam'a b. Aswad b. Muttalib b. Asad b. 'Abd al-'Uzz was killed in the
battle of Harrah.65209
Ibrhm b. Qriz
Ibrhm b. Qriz - Khlid b. Hrith b. 'Ubayd b. Tayim b. 'Amr b. Hrith b. Mabdhl b. Hrith
b. 'Abd Mant b. Kunna was killed on the day of Harrah.66210
***
Mus'ab b. Zubayr lists the name of those killed in the battle of Harrah as follows:
Fadl Asghar
He was a pious man who was killed on the day of Harrah.67211
Muhammad b. Ayyb
Muhammad b. Ayyb b. 'Abd al-Mundhar b. 'Alqama b. Kalada was killed on the day of
Harrah.68 His mother, Hind, was the daughter of Juwayd b. Huwayrith b. Hujayr b. 'Abd b.
Qusayy.
Abd al-Rahmn b. Ab Ubayda

'Abd al-Rahmn b. Ab 'Ubayda b. 'Abd Allh b. 'Awf was killed on the day of Harrah.69 His
mother, Maryam, was the daughter of 'Abd Allh b. Mut' b. 'Adw.
Abd Allh b. Muhammad

'Abd Allh b. Muhammad b. Ab Bakr, whose mother was a slave girl, was killed on the day
of Harrah.70214
Miqdd b. Abd Allh

Miqdd b. 'Abd Allh b. Wahb b. Zam'a was killed on the day of Harrah.
Wahb b. Abd Allh

Wahab b. 'Abd Allh b. Wahab b. Zam'a was killed on the day of Harrah and no one of his
progeny survived.71215
Yazd b. Musfi
Yazd b. Musfi' b. Talha b. 'Uthmn, whose mother was of the Ban Hrith b. Khazraj tribe,
Abd Allh b. Ab Amr

'Abd Allh b. Ab 'Amr b. Hafs b. Mughayra was the first one who dethroned Yazd. He was
killed on the day of Harrah.73
Muslim b. Ab Burda
Muslim b. Ab Burda b. Ma'bad, had a son named Muslim whose mother was Hafsa,
daughter of Ab Harmala, from the Ash'arites, and was killed on the day of Harrah.74218
Sons of sim
'Ubayd Allh and Sulaymn: sons of 'sim b. 'Amr b. al-Khattb, whose mother ''isha, was
Mut' b. Aswad's daughter, was killed on the day of Harrah.75219
Abd Allh b. Nfi

'Abd Allh b. Nfi' b. Abd Allh b. Nadla b. 'Awf b. 'Ubayd b. 'Uwayj was killed on the day of
Harrah.76 His mother was from the Thaqf tribe.
Zyad b. Abd al-Rahmn

Zyad b. 'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'Awf Hazr, was from among the valiant figures of Quraysh. He
was regarded as among the warriors of Medina against the Umayyids. He was killed in the
battle of Harrah.77221
From the Children of Abd Allh b. Qays

Sa'd and Usma, were sons of 'Abd Allh b. Qays b. Shurayh b. Mlik b. Rab'ah b. Ahb b.
Dabb b. Hujayr. Their mother, Umm Qsim, 'Abd Allh's daughter, was from the Ban 'Ad
b. Du'il. These two brothers were killed on the day of Harrah.55
***
Ibn Qutayba has mentioned additional names of those killed in horrendous event of Harrah:
Zayd b. Thbit
Zayd b. Thbit b. Dahhk who was from among the Ansr and nicknamed as Ab Sa'd
(some reported as Ab Abd al-Rahmn) was killed in the battle of Harrah.78222
Yaqb b. Talha
Ya'qb b. Talha b. 'Ubayd Allh b. 'Uthmn b. Ka'b b. Sa'd b. Tayim b. Murra b. Ka'b b.
Lu'ayy b. Ghlib b. Fahr b. Mlik b. Nadr b. Kunna was killed on the day of Harrah.79223
Miswar b. Abd al-Rahmn

Miswar b. 'Abd al-Rahmn was killed on the day of Harrah.80224
Abd al-Rahmn b. sim

'Abd al-Rahmn b. 'sim Ansr was also killed in the battle of Harrah. He is different from
'Abd Allh b. Mu'adhdhin as 'Abd Allh b. Mu'adhdhin who was the son of Zayd b.
Tha'laba.81 Similarity of names has caused confusion among historians.
Mudh b. Hrith
Mu'dh b. Hrith b. Arqam b. 'Awf b. Wahb b. 'Amr b. 'Abd 'Awf b. Ghanam b. Mlik b. Najjr
Ansr Khazraj has been nicknamed as Ab Halma and is famous with the same. However,
he was called Qr. He was six years old at the time of the Prophet's (s) demise. He
participated in the battle of Khandaq, and was killed on the day of Harrah.82 Some have
also reported his name to be M'dh b. Harith.83227
Abd Allh b. Amr

'Abd Allh b. 'Amr b. Sa'd b. Mu'dh was killed on the day of Harrah.84228
Asd b. Rfi
Asd b. Rfi' b. Karz b. Sakan b. Za'r b. 'Abd al-Ashhal, was killed on the day of
Harrah.85229
Suwayd b. Awm
Suwayd b. 'Awm b. S'ida b. ''is b. Nu'mn b. Zayd b. Umayyah was killed on the day of
Harrah.86230
Habb b. Khawt
Habb b. Khawt was killed on the day of Harrah.87231
Abd Allh b. Kab

'Abd Allh b. Ka'b 'Amr b. 'Awf b. Mabdhl b. 'Amr b. Ghanam b. Mdhin was killed on the
day of Harrah.88232

3. Ibn Abd al-Birr Numayr, Al-Istb, under the entry Muaqqal; Nuwayr, Nahyat al-Irab,
vol. 6, p. 277.
4. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Maarif, p. 187.
5. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 214; Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p.
133.
6. Ab Nuaym, Hilyat al-Awliy, vol. 1, p. 369; Ibn Jawz, Sifat al-Safwah, vol. 1, p. 299; Ibn
Askir, Tarkh-i Damishq, vol. 3, p. 108.
7. Zubayr, Musab, Nasab-i Quraysh, p. 384.
8. Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 128; Zubayr, Musab, Nasab-i Quraysh, p. 215; Dinawari, alAkhbr al-Tiwal, p. 265; Zirkl Al-Alm, vol. 7, p. 6; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p.
17.
9. Zubayr, Musab, Nasab-i Quraysh, p. 88; Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 70;
Nuwayr, Nahyat al-Irab, vol. 6, p. 227; Ibn Khaldn, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 37; Zirkl, Al-Alm,
vol. 5, p. 355, has also mentioned them.
10. Ibn Qutayba wrote: The one who was killed in Ibn Zubayr sedition was Musab b. Abd
al-Rahmn (Marif, p. 238).
11. The correct recording is Sakhr b. Kab (Zubayr, Musab, Nasab-i Quraysh).
12. The correct recording is Nilat b. Harim b. Rawha (Ibn Khayyt, Tarkh-i Khalfah bin
al-Khayyt, vol. 1, p. 299).
13. Or, Ziyd b. Ab Umayma. However, Zubayr in his book, Nasab-i Quraysh, p. 446, has
not mentioned his name.
14. The correct recording is Shaybn b. Muhrib (Zubayr, Musab, Nasab-i Quraysh, p.
447).
15. There will be a detailed discussion about Abd Allh b. Hanzala in the following pages.
16. The correct recording is Akshat b. Yazd b. Abd al-Rahmn b. Yazd.
17. The correct recording is Dhakwn b. Mawl b. Hanzala
18. The correct recording is Yazd b. Muhammad b Muslima (Ibn Hajar Asqaln, Al-Isba,
translation p. 7808).
19. Ibn Khayyt, Tarkh-i Khalfah ibn al-Khayyt, p. 293-314.
21. Tbi (successor) is a person who had met and accepted the companions of the
Prophet (s), and died as a Muslim (Al-Munjad, under the entry taba).
22. Zirkl, Al-Alm, vol. 4, p. 233.
23. The Prophet (s) said on the day of Battle of Uhud: I saw the angels in between the
earth and the heaven with golden vessels filled with water from the well belonging to
Muzan tribe, were giving him ghusl. Thus, he was known as Ghasl al-Malika (Qumm,
Safnat al-Bihr, vol. 2, p. 317).
24. Ibn Taghr Bird, al-Nujum al-Zhira, vol. 1, p. 161.
25. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 49; Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 2, p. 10; Yfi, Mirt alJinn, vol. 1, p. 137.
26. Najrn is a Yemani village in the region of Mecca (Yqt Hamaw, Mujam al-Buldn,
vol. 5, p. 266).
27. Nawaw, Tahdhb al-Asmwa al-Lught, part one, p. 88.
29. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 56.
30. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 57.
31. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 57 and vol. 8, p. 383.
32. Ibn Athr, al-Kmil, vol. 4, p. 117.
35. Ayn al-Tamr was a hamlet near Anbr on the west of Kfa. The Muslims under Khlid
b. Wald conqured it in 12 A.H. (Yqt Hamaw, Mujam al-Buldn, vol. 4, p. 176).
37. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 125.
38. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 126.
39. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 127; Ibn Abd al-Birr Numar, Al-Istb, vol. 1, p. 55.
40. Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, vol. 5, p. 128
41. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 128.
42. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 128.
43. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 132.
44. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 144.
45. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 156.

46. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 188.
47. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 189.
48. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 191
49. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 192.
50. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 193.
51. Ibid, vol. 5, 194-196, vol. 8, p. 416.
52. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 196.
53. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 197.
54. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 199.
55. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 202.
56. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 203.
57. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 205.
58. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 206.
59. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 207.
60. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 218.
61. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 220.
62. Yfi, Mirt al-Jinn, vol. 1, p. 137.
64. Ibid, vol. 7, p. 27.
65. Ibid, vol. 6, p. 63.
66. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 58.
68. Ibid, p. 256.
69. Ibid, p. 88.
70. Ibid, p. 279.
71. Ibid, p. 228.
72. Ibid, p. 252.
73. Ibid, p. 306 and 332; Ab al-Faraj al-Isfahn, Aghn, vol. 1, p. 23.
74. Ibid, p. 346.
75. Ibid, p. 361.
77. Zirkl, Al-Alm, vol. 5, p. 98; in Dhahab, Tarkh al-Islm, vol. 2, p. 358, it is mentioned
as Yazd b. Abd al-Rahmn.
78. Ibn Qutayba, Marif, p. 260.
79. Ibid, p. 260.
80. Ibid, p. 240.
81. Ibn Athr, Kmil, vol. 4, p. 121; Ibn Taghr Bird, al-Nujm al-Zhira, vol. 1, p. 161.
82. Ibn Hajar Asqaln, Al-Isba, vol. 3, p. 427.
83. Yfi, Mirt al-Jinn, vol. 1, p. 138; Ibn Kathr, Al-Bidya wa al-Nihya, vol. 6, p. 234.
84. Ibn Sad, Tabaqt, p. 420.
85. Ibid, vol. 3, p. 442 and 442.
86. Ibid, p. 459.
87. Ibid, p. 477.
88. Ibid, p. 518.
Those who didnt take part in the

uprising
Some people are seen among the eminent figures of Medinans who had withdrawn from the
uprising of the general public and did not interfere in it from the early phases of the
people's revolt and resistance against the Umayyid rule. Although few in number, these
people had totally different motives and insights. Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a) was among
them who, according to ideological principles and religious criteria, regarded the Umayyid
rule as basically usurping and did not have the least belief in Yazd's competence and the
overthrow of his rule was one of the wishes of the Imam ('a) and his household. On the
other hand, among the withdrawers from the uprising of the Medinans were such people as
'Abd Allh b. 'Umar, who, according to what the historians have recorded had a viewpoint
and analysis opposite to that of Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a).
'Abd Allh b. 'Umar. He did not participate in the public protest of the Medinans against
Yazd and the Umayyid rule, neither because he did not view the battle style as inefficient,
nor because he regarded the consequences of the uprising as heavy and devastating;
rather, he viewed the Umayyid rule and the Yazd's government as legitimate and
simplistically presumed Yazd as the guardian of the Muslims.
This is implied from his remarks to 'Abd Allh b. Mut' - one of the activists in the uprising of
Medina - saying:
Whoever abandons obeying a ruler will meet God on the Resurrection Day without a proof
and whoever dies and there is not an allegiance of a leader on his neck dies a death of
ignorance (Jhilliyah).3
If this is really stated by 'Abd Allh b. 'Umar, it is so surprising that with such contention he
refused to swear allegiance to 'Al b. Ab Tlib during the latter's Caliphate while the people
of Medina did swear allegiance to the Imam, and was rated as among the six people who
refused allegiance to Imam 'Al ('a).
He would say: I must be the last one to pledge allegiance to 'Al ('a)!1233
It is reported that when Yazd died and 'Abd al-Malik b. Marwn took over the rule and
dispatched Hajjj to Medina to suppress Ibn Zubayr and his advocates, 'Abd Allh b. 'Umar
went to Hajjj overnight to swear allegiance and said: I have come to swear allegiance to
the Caliph! When asked why in such a hurry, 'Abd Allh b. 'Umar replied: whoever dies and
has no leader, dies a death of Jhiliyyah; and I am afraid I may die overnight without having
a leader! Hajjj heedlessly stretched his leg and said 'kiss my leg instead of my
hand'!2234
'Abd Allh b. 'Abbs. 'Abd Allh b. 'Abbs was the Holy Prophet's (s) cousin who was born
in Shi'b of Ab Tlib three years before hijrah and died in T'if in the year 80 A.H. (689 C.E.)
at the age of 69 while having lost his eye sight and was buried in that place.3235
Amr b. Khazraj The reasons for his not participating in the battle of Harrah can be
numerous, for it is reported that he became blind and was sick toward the end of his life
and since T'if had a pleasant climate, he went there for rest and remedy. After the
martyrdom of Imam Husayn b. 'Al ('a), Ibn 'Abbs sent a letter of condemnation to Yazd,
part of which is as follows:
Do not suppose that I will forget your killing of Imam Husayn ('a) and the youth of the
Ban 'Abd al-Muttalib who were beacons of guidance and guiding stars. Your troops left their
pure bodies soiled with dust and exposed to the wind.

Yet, he wrote in another part of his letter:
You killed Husayn and his companions. Nothing is stranger to me than your seeking my
companionship! You have killed the sons of my father, and it is my blood that is dripping
from your sword.4
This shows that the withdrawal of 'Abd Allh b. 'Abbs from the uprising of Medina has not
been because of avoiding opposition to Umayyid rule, but it has mainly been due to his
illness.
Jbir b. 'Abd Allh Ansr. Jbir b. 'Abd Allh b. 'Amr b. Khazraj Ansr Sulam Sahb5
died in Medina in 78 A.H. (687 C.E.) at the age of 74 while blinded. Some have reported
that he was the last of the Prophet's (s) companions.6238
Ibn Qutayba Dnawar writes:
Jbir was blind during the Harrah battle. He would walk in some alleys of Medina and say:
Woe to the one who frightens God and the Messenger! A man asked 'who has frightened
God and the Messenger?! Jbir answered: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: Whoever
frightens the people of Medina is as if frightening what is with me. The Syrian man attacked
Jbir with his sword to kill him. Marwn drove that man away and ordered to send Jbir back
to his house and lock the door behind him.7
Muhammad b. Hanafiyya. Muhammad b. 'Al b. Ab Tlib b. 'Abd al-Muttalib b. Hshim b.
'Abd Manf b. Qusayy, whose mother was Khawla daughter of Ja'far b. Qays b. Muslima
from the Hanafiyya tribe, hence known as Hanafiyya.8
Ibn Sa'd wrote:
After Imam Husayn ('a) left Medina, Ibn Hanafiyya stayed in that city until he heard that
Yazd troops were approaching; then he left Medina for Mecca, where he stayed with Ibn
'Abbs.9
1. Ibn Ab al-Hadd, Sharh Nahj al-Balgha, vol. 4, p. 11.
2. Ibid, vol. 3, p. 242.
3. Dhahab, Siyar Alm al-Nubal, vol. 3, p. 354; Ibn Ab al-Hadd, Sharh Nahj al-Balgha,
vol. 20, p. 130, 134.
4. Yaqb, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 250; Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 128.
5. Ibn Hajar Asqaln, Al-Isba, vol. 1, p. 213; Ibn Qutayba, Al-Marif, p. 307.
6. Dhahab, Tarkh al-Islm, vol. 5, p. 27.
9. Ibid, vol. 5, p. 73.
The Aftermaths of the Battle of Harrah

Claiming allegiance from the people of Medina for
Yazd
After three days the invasion of the Syrian army over Medina and its inhabitants was over
and the fourth day was the time for those who survived the massacre to go with full
humiliation and debasement under the yoke of Yazd's slavery!1

At that time, on the fourth day, Muslim b. 'Uqba was stationed in a place called Wd alQur2 and he ordered the surviving Medinans to report to him for swearing allegiance to
Yazd.
The very command by Muslim b. 'Uqba to claim allegiance from the people of Medina for
Yazd is not much surprising as the dominating army was perpetually seeking to block the
enemy's way to fight after having dominated over it. What is unique in the history of Islam
is the subject and the type of allegiance that the people were forced to undergo.
Ibn Athr wrote:
Muslim b. 'Uqba said: Yazid has privilege over all kinds of appropriation of the properties
and families of the Medinans and their blood is permissible to him in whatever ways he
wishes.3244
Dnawar has pointed out the issue this way:
Muslim ordered the people of Medina to swear allegiance to Yazd to be his prisoners of
war and let him decide and act as he wishes about their properties and family.4245
Samhd has recorded the procedure of allegiance as follows:
Muslim b. 'Uqba summoned the dignitaries of Medina and ordered them to swear
allegiance to Yazd and admit to be his slaves.5246
Exhausted and humiliated after the battle of Harrah, the people of Medina were forced
under the unsheathed swords of the Syrian army to swear allegiance to Yazd b. Mu'wiyah
to be his slaves6 and whoever rejected this allegiance was killed on the spot.7248
It is reported in historical sources that the only personality who was exempted from such
allegiance was Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a).8249
In his talk to the Imam ('a), Muslim b. 'Uqba regarded his case apart from the others and
said: Yazd did not want me to make you swear allegiance like others.9
Given the short interval between the battle of Harrah and the tragedy of Karbal, the heavy
and irrepairable aftermath of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn ('a) and his companions for
Yazd and Umayyid's rule - like the uprising of Tawwbn and Mecca and Medina revolts and the Imam Zayn al-'Abidn's ('a) impressive speeches in Syria, it was obvious that Yazd
had advised Muslim b. 'Uqba not to expect allegiance from Imam Husayn b. 'Al's ('a) son,
as the 'shra was created initially because of descendents of 'Al's ('a) abstaining to
pledge allegiance to such a person as Yazd.
It is reported in some sources that before meeting with Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a), Muslim b.
'Uqba would revile him and his household, but when he met with Imam Zayn al-'Abidn ('a),
he became gentle and obedient before him and faced him with respect. When his
entourage asked the reason for this encounter, Muslim answered that he had been
impressed by his imposing appearance and nobility.10251
The second person who did not swear allegiance like others to Yazd was 'Al b. 'Abd Allh b.
'Abbs; with the difference that in the first place Muslim b. 'Uqba commanded him to swear
allegiance to Yazd like others to be his slave, but since 'Al b. 'Abd Allh had some kind of
tribal kinship with Husayn b. Numayr - one of the commanders of Syrian army - the latter
protected him and told Muslim b. 'Uqba to exempt him from such an allegiance.
Muslim felt that if he would insist on his command and did not accept Husayn b. Numayr's
request, it was possible that this would lead to discord, conflict, and indolence in the Syrian
army;11 thus, he gave up his order and let 'Al b. 'Abd Allh simply state that: I swear
allegiance to Yazd and am obliged to obey him.12
Muslim b. Uqba's Report to Yazd

After his victory in early Muharram 64 A.H. (682 C.E.), Muslim b. 'Uqba wrote a letter to
Yazd and informed him of the event of Harrah and what befell the people of Medina and
asked him for advice.
Muslim's letter is as follows:
From Muslim b. 'Uqba to the chief commander of the faithful, Yazd b. Mu'wiyah.
Salutations to you Oh commander of the faithful and God's Mercy and Blessings be on you!
I thank the One God for your victory; now then, God has undertaken the preservation and
protection of the Amr. May the shadow of Amr be prolonged. Now I forward a report of my
mission to you:
I left Damascus while I was feeling unwell as Amr knew about it. I met some Umayyids who
had left Medina in Wd al-Qur'. Marwn despite his swearing not to help the enemy
returned with us to Medina! He was our aid in our victory over the enemy. We went to
Medina and noticed that the people of Medina had dug many trenches around them,
installed armed guards at the city entrances, taken their beasts inside Medina, and claimed
to have stored up enough foodstuff for one year so that they would be able to resist in case
of being beseiged. I advised them and informed them of the Amr's promises, but they did
not accept.
Then, I arranged my troops in groups and sent each group to one direction; I sent Husayn b.
Numayr to Dhanb region and its outskirts; Habsh b. Dalja as commander of Mawl to Ban
Salma region; and 'Abd Allh b. Mas'd to Baq' Gharqad region.
I and other troops of Amr's army stood against Ban Hritha. Thanks to the way shown to
us by one of the Ban Hritha tribesmen, we managed to enter the city from the region of
Ban 'Abd al-Ashhal early at the sunrise.
It so happened that Marwn saw a man from the Ban Hritha tribe and secretly promised
him that the commander of the faithful Yazd will do him benevolence and guarantee to pay
off all his debts and give him some rewards, too that man was deceived and showed the
way to the Syrian army to infiltrate into the city. Now, I am sending this letter to you via the
same person and hope that God may inspire His Caliph and slave Yazd the way that man
deserves so that he the Caliph makes him satisfied with his generous gifts!
God has graced and favored Amr for his readiness, cleverness and triumph over his
enemies, and this victory over the enemies is something that will not be lost for the Caliph
of God and the Muslims. Insha'Allah!
May God preserve Amr's men Syrian army; no one was harmed! Their enemy people of
Mdna resisted but only for four hours. After widespread massacre and pillage, we
performed the noon prayer in their mosque!
We wielded the swords against them, killing whoever that stood before us. We chased the
fugitives
and killed their wounded, as Amr had commanded. We were busy killing and plundering for
three days! May God lengthen Amr's shadow!
I made secure the houses of 'Uthmn's children. Thanks God that He appeased my heart by
killing the hypocrites and wrong-doers whose the Medinans' rebellion had lasted too long.
I am writing this letter to Amr from the house of Sa'd b. 's while I am severely sick. For
this sickness you may not see me any longer. I did not have any other wish than revenge
from the people of Medina! Wassalm!13254
Some others have reported that in the end of his letter, Muslim had written to Yazd as
follows:
Do not be saddened for the faithless people!14255
Departure of the Syrian Army towards Mecca

Early in 64 A.H. (683 C.E.), following Muslim b. 'Uqba's ending of his deadly mission in
Medina - as he had already predicted - he dispatched the Syrian army to Mecca to fight
against 'Abd Allh b. Zubayr who was known to be the main instigator of the revolts in Hijz
region and had made Mecca his base for such revolts, and to put an end to him and his
partisans' oppositions to the Umayyid rule. However, no farther than three miles away from
Medina, Muslim b. 'Uqba died due to illness.15256
Noticing the pangs of death, Muslim b. 'Uqba summoned Husayn b. Numayr to come to him
before dying and made some recommendations to keep moving toward Mecca and battle
against Ibn Zubayr, that have been recorded by some historians as follows:
Yazd recommended to me that if I failed to continue this way, I should appoint Husayn b.
Numayr as the commander of the army; but if it were up to me, I would not have chosen
you because the Yemenis are soft-hearted! But I do not disobey Yazd's
command.16257257
Now I have some advice for you; keep it well in mind! Hasten to move; be quick in
confrontation and fighting; and search for the news from the enemy. Beware! Do not give
audience to the Quraysh and do not cooperate with them!17258
When you arrive in Mecca, launch the battle with Ibn Zubayr, and do not prevent the
people of Syria from doing whatever they wish to do with their enemy, and do not listen to
Quraysh lest they should deceive you.61
In another part of his advice to Husayn b. Numayr, he says:
The mission we have ahead of us requires more violence, rigidity, decisiveness, disregard
for temptations, and unwavering mind. Therefore, make yourself ready for slaughter and
plunder! May it never happen that the words of those who say Mecca is the House of God
and He has made it a safe sanctuary would make you indolent! Pay no heed to such
nonsence. The very sanctity of the Caliph Yazd is much more superior to all other
sanctities, even from the sanctity of the House and Haram of Allah!18259
Unfortunately, as it is evident from the words and recommendations of Muslim b. 'Uqba,
misunderstanding and misconception of the basic religious concepts and lack of knowledge,
tribal bigotry, vengeance, and playful manipulation of religion for the political purposes,
were the most problematic issues that the people were entangled with during the
Umayyids' ruling era.
Absence of the Prophet (s), Muslim community's being distanced from the the 'Itrat ('a) - i.e.
the Progeny (Ahl al-Bayt) of the Prophet (s) - the dominance of the worldly-minded profane
scholars who were unfamiliar with the spirit of the Prophetic mission; the usurpation of the
political and social positions by the bullies, gold-worshippers, and tribal authorities, were all
aiding the Caliph and political commanders of people to garner much more reverence and
honor than that of all the religious and Divine values, and any human and religious principle
can be easily trampled for the sake of the preservation of the ruler's authority and power!
In his death-bed and after creating all these tragedies, Muslim b. 'Uqba says:
O Lord! You know that I never disobeyed the Caliph. O God! After professing Your Oneness
and the Prophethood of Muhammad (s), I have done no better and more praiseworthy task
than the massacre of the people of Medina, and I take this massacre as a means of my
salvation on the Day of Resurrection.19260
A man, whom the historians have regarded as among the devotees of Mu'wiyan cult20
and one of the tyrants of Arabs and their devils21, and who because of his countless
murders and massacres has been called Musrif b. 'Uqba, now tries to impute all his evils to
religion and serving the Muslims!
Thus he died and was buried at a distance of three miles from Medina. However, those
whose children and relatives were killed by his order exhumed his body from the grave and
burned it.22263
The Invasion of Mecca by the Syrian Army

On 26th of Muharram 64 A.H. (24th of September 683 C.E.), Syrian troops commanded by
Husayn b. Numayr entered the city of Mecca in order to fight with Ibn Zubayr and his
followers.
In this invasion the Divine Sanctuary was disgraced and Holy Ka'ba was damaged by the
Yazidian army.
3. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma was al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 214; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol.
4, p. 118.
6. Yaqb, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 250; Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 70; Samhd, Waf
al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 134.
7. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma was al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 214; Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p.
70; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 118; Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 132.
9. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma was al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 218; Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p.
266; Yaqb, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 251; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 119.
10. Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 70.
11. Al b. Abd Allh b. Abbs was on her mother side originally from Zura tribe and many
people from that tribe were serving in Hassin b, Numayr's army (Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f alTarkh, vol. 4, p. 120).
12. Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 267; Bbit, Mujam al-Shuar, p. 133.
14. Safwat, Zak Ahmad, Jumhuratu Rasil al-Arab f Usr al-Arabiyyat al-Zhira, vol. 2,
p. 576.
15. Dinawari, al-Akhbr al-Tiwl, p. 267; Ibn Atham Kfi, Al-Futh, vol. 3, p. 314; Ibn Athr,
Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 132; Azraq, Akhbr Makkat al-Musharrafa, vol. 1, p. 139;
Ab al-Fid, Al-Mukhtasar f Akhbr al-Bashar, vol. 1, p. 192.
17. Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 219 and vol. 2, p. 12; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil
f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 123.
18. Ibid.
19. Ibn Atham, Al-Futh, vol. 5, p. 185; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 123;
Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 136.
20. Ibn Hajar Asqaln, Al-Isba, vol. 3, p. 493.
21. Masd, Murj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 70; Zubayr, Musab, Nasab-i Quraysh, p. 127;
Tabar, Tarkh, vol. 7, p. 14; Madqis, Al-Bad wa al-Tarkh, vol. 6, p. 14; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil
f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 120.
22. Zubayr, Musab, Nasab-i Quraysh, p. 222; Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1,
p. 219; Samhd, Waf al-Waf, vol. 1, p. 135.
Death of Yazd b. Muwiyah

Not too long after the tragedy of Harrah, on 17th of Safar of the same year, that is, about
20 days later, Yazd b. Mu'wiyah gave up his ghost and died. Having remained on the
throne for no more than three or four years1, Yazd lay in his grave2 while he had
perpetrated the most heinous crimes of the Islamic history. He had, as he frequently
admitted, taken the revenge on Islam for all the defeats suffered by the pagans and
hypocrites in the time of Prophet!
While Ban Hshim had managed to gather the spiritual dignity and honor of the Prophetic
mission to their credit, the Umayyids - the descendents of Ab Sufyn who were freed by
the Prophet of God (s) -recorded violence, mutiny, bullying, and worldliness to their credit,
and threw the yoke of slavery over the Muslims!
The death of the Syrian army commander after the tragedy of Harrah and the quick setting
of the ominous star of Yazd's life can be a true evidence of the Prophet's (s) words:
The one who sets out toward Medina with an ominous intention and commits any evil to it,
Allah will soon wipe him out.3
1. Historians have reported Yazd's disgraceful caliphate variously: three years and seven
month and twenty two days; three years and six months; three years and some days; four
years and some days; and three years and nine months and twenty days. Ibn Abd Rabbih
al-Iqd al-Fard, vol. 5, p. 124; Masd, Al-Tanbh wa al-Ashrf, p. 263; Imrn, Al-Anb f
al-Tarkh, p. 9; Ibn Athr, Al-Kmil f al-Tarkh, vol. 4, p. 125; Ibn Taghr Bird, Al-Nujm alZhira, vol. 1, p. 163.
2. The death of Yazd b. Muwiyah took place in the lands of Himas in a quarter called
Huwwrn and his body was buried in the Bb al-Saghr graveyard, where for a long time it
remained a garbage dump (Ibn Abd Rabbih, al-Iqd al-Fard, vol. 5, p. 120; ; Masd, AlTanbh wa al-Ashrf, p. 263).
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1. S.H. = Solar Hijrah Calender
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Battle of Harrah

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What was the historic event discussed in the text?

What was the historic event discussed in the text?

Who led the army that invaded Medina?

Who led the army that invaded Medina?

Published on Books on Islam and Muslims | Al-Islam.org (http://www.al-islam.

Muhammad Ali Chenarani [3]

Ahmad Rezwani [4]

Islamic Research Foundation Astan Quds Razavi [5]

Imam al-Husayn and Karbala [6]

Battle of Harrah [7]

Yazid bin Mu'awiyah [14]

pulpit and proclaimed to be the commanders of the faithful!

Achievements of this Research

dimensions of this event.

Causes of the Revolt

Sentiments and Religious Zeal

the slaves. Bear witness that we vow to dethrone him.14

The Tragedy of Karbal and the Martyrdom of Imam

confronting the household of the Prophet (s).

Description of the Karbal Tragedy by the Ahl al-Bayt

Political Unrests and Fallacies

the people of Medina. Furious to hear this, Yazd said:

22. Al-Qur'an, 42: 23.

Open Confrontation of the People of

Expulsion of the Governor of Medina

Yazd's Reaction against the People of Medina

Dispatch of the Syrian Army to Medina

Yazd's Orders to the Commanders of

The Itinerary of the Syrian Army

1. Istakhr, Maslik al-Mamlik, p. 27.

The Syrian Army Camps near Medina

Abd Allh b. Hanzala, Commander of

Confrontation of the Syrian Army and

The Syrian's Defeat during the Early

fight against the Syrians.

Marwn b. Hakam's Role in Penetration

about five meters away from Muslim b. 'Uqba.8

Wearing out of Medinan Forces before

Ibn Qutayba, Al-Imma wa al-Siysa, vol. 1, p. 212.

The Syrian Armys Savage Invasion of

1. Yaqb, Tarkh, vol. 2, p. 251.

Crimes committed in the Prophets Holy

Yazd targeted us by Muslim b. 'Uqba, leaving none of our youth alive!

Imam Zayn al-Abidns (a) Stance in the

A. Historical Glance at Imam Zayn al-Abidns (a)

B. An Ideological Glance at Imam Zayn al-Abidns (a)

The Medina Uprising; a Right or Wrong

The Degree of Legitimacy of the Medina Uprising

Tribes that Actively Participated in the

Those Who were Executed

Partial list of the names of males killed in the Tragedy

From the Quraysh and Ban Hshim

Ab Tlib's Allies from the Ban Sulaim b. Mansr Clan

From the Sons of Muttalib b. Abd Manf

Yahy b. Nfi' b. 'Ajr b. Yazd b. Hshim from Ban Muttalib.

From the Allies of Muttalib's Sons from Ban Sulaym

Ja'far b. 'Abd Allh b. Mlik.

From the Sons of Nawfil b. Abd Manf

From Ban Umayyah b. Shams b. Abd Manf